Robinson, Falcons are looking to generate more offensive balance behind Penix against Vikings

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FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga, (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons are hoping to generate better support for quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in Sunday night's game at Minnesota after their running game was shut down in their opening loss to Tampa Bay.

Penix passed for 298 yards and one touchdown, completing 27 of 42 passes, while also running for a score in the 23-20 loss to the Buccaneers.

Penix had too little help as the Falcons rushed for only 69 yards and Younghoe Koo’s crucial last-second missed field goal prevented the game for going to overtime. The Falcons (1-0) signed former Minnesota kicker Parker Romo to their practice squad to compete with Koo and are hoping for better offensive balance against the Vikings.

“Mike played really well,” Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said Wednesday. “We’ve got to play better around Mike.”

Penix, the 2024 first-round pick, is entering his first full season as the starter after taking over for Kirk Cousins in the last three games of his rookie season.

“To see Mike put the team on his back in different situations is just like watching him at Washington,” Robinson said, adding Penix “kind of thrives in those moments.”

Bijan Robinson rushed for only 24 yards on 12 carries. Robinson scored on a 50-yard catch and had six receptions for 100 yards.

Robinson ranked third in the NFL with 1,456 yards rushing in 2024 and isn't accustomed to the meager rushing totals. Tyler Allgeier ran for 24 yards on 10 carries.

'That’s the thing we pride ourselves on is the run game so the performance we had the last game, that’s like unacceptable," Robinson said Wednesday. “That’s the driving force for everything. It opens up the play-action pass, it helps Mike, it helps the receivers, it helps everything.”

Robinson said the offense has adjusted this week after Tampa Bay “came out in a look we hadn’t seen so our playbook got shorter. … That first-game look was something we hadn’t seen and prepared for. We prepared for something totally different that they’d been used to doing. For us, it wasn’t about effort or anything like that. We were just outmatched in the game. Now this week we know what to study and to prepare for."

Falcons coach Raheem Morris didn't blame the poor running production on new starting right tackle Elijah Wilkinson, who moved up after Kaleb McGary was lost for the season with a lower left leg injury late in the preseason.

The Falcons preferred to run behind McGary and right guard Chris Lindstrom in 2024, so the poor performance by the running game in the opener is an ominous sign for the offense.

“We didn’t play well up front,” Morris said. “It’s not Elijah Wilkinson. We didn’t play well as a group. To say that would be not fair to Elijah Wilkinson.”

NOTES: WR Drake London, who left Sunday's game in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury, and WR Darnell Mooney (shoulder), who was inactive on Sunday, had limited participation in practice. Morris said London is “ultimately tough” and added “I do expect him to play.” WR Casey Washington (concussion) and WR Jamal Agnew (groin) were held out. OT Jack Nelson (calf) and S Jordan Fuller (knee) did not practice.

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