The New York Giants are no strangers to making a sudden change at the quarterback position in the middle of a difficult season. Now, at an equally crucial moment, they face an opponent who is doing the same thing.

For the Giants, the post-Daniel Jones half of the season was a royal disaster for a number of reasons. The biggest problem was injuries, as the team went through three different arms since the former starter was fired, as every replacement selected picked up an illness in their subsequent start.

The performances on the field were nothing special either. All three answers – Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito and Tim Boyle – have combined for 794 yards and one passing touchdown, leaving the Giants with the worst-performing offensive team in the entire league and on the precipice of their longest losing streak in franchise history.

As the Giants travel to Atlanta with their fifth different starter in as many weeks (Drew Lock), they find their opponent making the same move at their quarterback spot at a surprising time.

Earlier in the week, the Falcons decided to bench Kirk Cousins ​​after a series of difficult games in exchange for backup rookie Michael Penix Jr.who earned his first start in the NFL.

The move opened many eyes in the football world, especially after the Falcons had just handed Cousins ​​a hefty contract last offseason. He had worked hard in the first 14 games to recover from an ACL injury he suffered in 2023.

Still, the veteran has struggled of late, throwing nine interceptions and just one touchdown in the last five contests, dropping Atlanta’s record to 7-7 after starting the year with a strong 6-4 record through the first ten games .

That signaled the call to shift passing duties to Penix with three important games remaining for the Falcons, who will host the Giants in Week 16, which could determine the future of their campaign.

Penix, the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft, has only appeared in two spots this season in preseason and mop-up duties and wasn’t expected to take the reins from his counterpart in Cousins ​​this early, but he’s gaining confidence in that Making his debut Thanks to the work he does behind the scenes, he remains ready to help his team.

“Just the mental reps — that was always there,” Penix told reporters after being told he had been given the go-ahead. “I prepared like the starter and was always ready because I didn’t know when my number would be called. It could have been called at any time, you know, so just making sure I was ready was the biggest thing.

“And what you mentioned about the physical part, as far as reps with the guys, that would come this week, and this week we had time to prepare. And I’ve already talked to some of the receivers and they said they’re ready to get those reps. If we have to do it after training to get more, then they are willing to do it and that is the biggest thing. You know, just make sure I find time to be with these guys.”

It seems sensible for a player of Penix’s status to exude confidence despite being in a situation that would make most newcomers slightly nervous. The 24-year-old may be new to the NFL landscape, but he already has five years of starting experience from his college days.

In those seasons, three with Indiana and two with the University of Washington, Penix had four with over 1,000 yards passing, including two seasons with more than 4,600 yards and more than 31 touchdowns in his final two seasons with the Huskies. He had one of the best stats in college football during the 2023 season and brought his school to the brink of a national title, narrowly falling short against Michigan.

However, his latest call to the huddle will be in a very different situation than the national champion runner-up and Maxwell Award winner has experienced before.

For the first time in several years, he’s starting as a backup with a lot of pressure on his shoulders to perform as the Falcons’ hopes of extending January football hang in the balance.

Atlanta enters Sunday’s meeting with the Giants at an even .500 and one game out of the final wild card spot in the NFC playoff picture.

Their chances of stealing the crown from a mediocre South Division are also within reach, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one game above them in the loss list with just three games to go, albeit without the benefit of the head-to-head tiebreaker.

A win over New York would allow the Falcons to keep their postseason dreams alive before mixed results in their final two games against Washington and Carolina. The only problem is that their offense has faltered at the wrong time, and Penix needs to get it going again if his team wants to have any chance of making the league dance.

While it’s a high-stakes environment for both franchises, which aren’t in the NFL’s highest weight class but have two completely different goals in mind, Penix knows he can only control what’s right in front of him, and that’s his Before a real conversation about the future takes place, you need to think about the current game.

“Yes, my previous coaches, we all always preached the 1-0 mentality,” Penix said. “I’m focused on this week right now and that’s all I can focus on right now, what’s in front of us and that’s the Giants and I’m trying to make sure I’m ready to do anything . “It takes us to win this football game.”

“We are taking it step by step. I don’t look too far into the future, so, oh, this is a playoff game, but as long as we execute and do what we need to do, we’ll come out with a win and the playoffs, that’s part of it. But I’m just trying to stay in the moment.”

Penix and the Falcons’ woeful offense couldn’t have asked for a better landing spot than the Giants’ to begin their mini-season with their new man under center. They will welcome one of the league’s most faltering units on both sides of the ball, particularly the defense, which has been hurt by injuries at center back.

Atlanta’s passing attack hasn’t been particularly impressive in recent contests, but they still own the 21st ranked unit in points scored and the ninth-best huddle in yards per game, ranking sixth to eighth in average air yards per game Play and throw is enough.

Where they can do more after the Giants is on the ground as New York is on the ground Opponents are allowed big rushing stats.

It will be interesting to see if they decide to attack the Giants with two players, as running back Bijan Robinson leads the way with 1,102 yards and seven touchdowns and Penix can do some extra work with his mobility from the pocket.

The Falcons need more than just a physical playmaker from their new starting quarterback. They need a leader who can hold the offense together and motivate them amid a change that divided the locker room on the Giants’ side when it happened to them.

The Giants have seen firsthand how sudden changes and the resulting inconsistency can further deteriorate an entire season, and that’s something the Falcons want to avoid if the playoffs are to remain a possibility in the final three games of the regular season.

Penix isn’t thinking too far ahead, but he knows he has to step up to the plate and be a leader, commanding the group and leading them to a timely victory on Sunday.

The good news is that he feels more than ready thanks to his good mental skills and the learning he received from his great mentor Cousins. It’s like the master and the apprentice, and now it’s the latter’s turn to show off what he’s learned in front of thousands of hopeful Falcons faithful.

“I mean, at the end of the day, I feel like I’ve always been a leader,” Penix said. “I just always try to find ways to influence the team and help them be ready for game week.”

“Nowadays the coach looks at me in meetings to say what I think about a particular route. Before it was Kirk (Cousins). He asked Kirk, ‘How do you like this route?’ Kirk would speak up in meetings, and now I’m taking on that role.”

“It’s little things like that that are different, but I just have to be myself. I don’t feel like I have to be someone else. I don’t have to try too hard to be this big leader. Just be myself and just trust my preparation and bring everyone along.”

Before he takes the field on Sunday afternoon, he repeats a question about his enduring advice:

“Be yourself. That really just came to mind because it just says “Be yourself.” It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are, it doesn’t matter what situation you’re in, just be yourself. Guys will be attracted to you. As long as you’re real, the boys can understand it.

“But when you try to be someone else, people can see that. And nobody likes it when you try to be someone else. I just try to be myself every day.”