The Michael Penix Jr. whom fans saw last Sunday in his first NFL regular-season start was not the one who arrived here last April as the No. 8 pick in the draft. What Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney saw from Penix after the draft was a quarterback too eager to let go of the ball,

Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. sounds optimistic that he'll improve with each day he spends as Atlanta's QB1.

The Falcons have Penix set up well with an excellent run game led by Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, good players to throw to like Drake London and Darnell Mooney (and maybe even Kyle Pitts if he can finally put it all together) and a sound offensive line to keep him upright. That will matter as Penix finds himself as an NFL quarterback.