FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Michael Penix Jr. that fans saw last Sunday in his first NFL regular-season start was not the one who arrived here last April as the No. 8 overall pick in the draft.
What Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney saw from Penix at first was a quarterback too eager to let go of the ball, someone who didn't yet have the patience to excel at the next level after taking Washington to the national championship game three months prior.
"When he first got here ... he was super [excited] to throw the ball, so getting it out of his hand, it was everybody just dropping the ball everywhere," Mooney said.