Through the first two weeks of the season, the Atlanta Falcons were the worst offense in the NFL. They scored just 16 total points and did not enter the red zone even once during those two games. Over the last two weeks, the Falcons have led the NFL with 80 total points.
They dropped 35 on the Green Bay Packers on "Thursday Night Football" and 45 on the New Orleans Saints on "Monday Night Football." Atlanta's Bijan Robinson-led run game has exploded in those two contests, totaling 447 yards on the ground. Robinson and No. 2 back Brian Robinson tagged the Packers for 242 yards and the Saints for 205. They also ran pretty well in the first two games (120 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers and 157 against the Carolina Panthers), but it's been an entirely different level in Weeks 3 and 4.
However, the main difference between the first two games and the latter two: The Falcons replaced backup quarterback Cooper Rush with starter Michael Penix Jr. starting in Week 3. Rush was dreadful in the first two games, while Penix has largely played well through his two starts. Through four weeks of the season, there are 41 quarterbacks who have thrown at least 30 passes, according to Tru Media.
Rush ranks 41st among that group in expected points added (EPA) per dropback, while Penix checks in fifth. Needless to say, Penix has completely rejuvenated the Falcons' offense. It's worth investigating what he has brought to the offensive attack that Rush couldn't.
Let's start with what's been the same. Penix and Rush have both gotten the ball out extremely quickly. Rush's average time to throw, per Tru Media, was 2.53 seconds, which was fourth-quickest among the aforementioned 41 passers.
Penix is getting the ball out even faster, at 2.36 seconds, which is the fastest in the league to date. A lot of that is because both players have thrown many screens. Rush was 7-of-8 on screens through his two starts, while Penix is 8-of-9.
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