ESPN Analyst High on Falcons With QB Change to Michael Penix

The Atlanta Falcons enter the 2025 preseason with varying levels of expectations. Locally, the excitement around the young team is overflowing, as evidenced by some the raucous crowds on hand for practices over the weekend.

Nationally, there is much less of a consensus.

Breaking off from the typical detractors, though, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky boldly proclaimed his confidence in the Falcons because of what Michael Penix Jr. offers this team.

"If Michael Penix is the guy for this year and Kirk Cousins is the backup, so be it."@danorlovsky7 shares his thoughts on the Falcons heading into this season ✍️ pic.twitter.com/oTg9tbFBq9
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) July 26, 2025

“They want to go win, they want to establish a winning culture and win football games, and be a playoff contender,” Orlovsky said in Saturday’s episode of NFL on ESPN. “If Michael Penix is the guy for this year and Kirk Cousins is the backup, so be it!”

For the entire offseason, the national storylines swirled around the status of the Falcons’ backup quarterback. Would they trade Cousins, or would they release him? The idea Cousins could be on the roster come training camp was an afterthought.

Fast forward a few months and, at least for now, those questions still hang over Flowery Branch. Orlovsky, like many in Atlanta, is finally ready to move on to the 2025 edition of the Falcons – one led by an upstart young quarterback with a powerful arm.

Potential oozes from this young offense, and Penix has already been on record with how he feels this group could be one of the best in the NFL. While the team went just 1-2 with him in the final three weeks of the 2024 season, the offense popped off to the tune of 401 yards and 32 points per game.

“I think this is a dangerous football team this year, I really do,” Orlovsky said to finish his segment. “If Michael Penix is really good – everyone is penciling in Tampa Bay to win the division, and probably rightfully so, but if Penix is really good this team has the chance to win 10 or 11 games.”

The Falcons have not been to the postseason since 2017, also their last season with a winning record. One would need to go back another year to find the last time they won the NFC South.

If they reach the 10 or 11 win threshold, like Orlovsky suggests, then the NFL could be looking at the Falcons resetting that clock come January.