Penix Jr. cleared for 11-on-11: Falcons smash Colts 34-6, then the real race starts Monday

Michael Penix Jr. is cleared. Kevin Stefanski said it after Atlanta beat Indianapolis 34-6 on Saturday: the doctor signed off Thursday night, and Penix practices in 11-on-11 on Monday.

That is the news. The scoreboard was the afterparty. Cooper Rush and Jack Strand carved up Colts backups for most of the afternoon, the starters sat after two days of joints, and Atlanta snapped an eight-game preseason losing streak that nobody in Flowery Branch wanted to keep talking about.

The doctor call, finally

Penix has been at every practice since camp opened and has not taken a real hit. Individuals. 1-on-1s. 7-on-7. No team periods with a rush that can land. Thursday in Indianapolis he told reporters the check-in was coming and that “that time is coming real soon.” Saturday, Stefanski closed it.

“He is cleared for 11-on-11. He’ll practice Monday in team periods.”

The Falcons still have not named a Week 1 quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa has taken the first-team snaps all camp and in the Denver opener. Penix has been the ghost in the building — present, throwing, not competing. One preseason game left (Friday at Miami, 7 p.m. ET). The evaluation that has been half a camp just became a real one.

Rush and Strand did what depth is supposed to do

Rush started and went 10-of-11 for 86 yards. Strand came in late in the second quarter and finished 12-of-17 for 212 yards, a 13-yard touchdown to Cash Jones, and a 16-yard scramble score to open the third. Official first-half line on the two of them: 14-of-15, 137 yards, one touchdown, zero picks.

Tyler Goodson — against his old team — ripped a 49-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Nathan Carter punched in from a yard out. Nick Folk hit from 50 as the fourth started. Atlanta outgained Indianapolis 461-164, allowed nine first downs, and held the Colts to two Spencer Shrader field goals. Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson combined to convert 1 of 11 third downs.

This was not Tua vs. Daniel Jones. Stefanski sat roughly 30, including both quarterbacks, Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, the starting five up front, Jessie Bates III, A.J. Terrell, and newly signed Za’Darius Smith. Saturday was a roster tryout with a blowout attached.

The trenches looked like Thursday, not Denver

Denver 27-7 last Friday was unofficial and ugly. The Colts joints were the first real look. Saturday’s twos and threes carried the same theme the official camp report logged Thursday: the offensive line opened lanes, the defensive front would not get moved.

Goodson’s 49-yarder was the clip. The ones sprinted onto the field to meet him — London, Matthew Bergeron, Bijan, Bates, Terrell, even Smith. Unsportsmanlike. Stefanski smiled. Then the defense stuffed the next series into a field goal.

Watch the injury list more than the score. Guard Kyle Hinton left in the second and did not return. Guard Kam Dewberry was carted in the fourth. Edge Cameron Sample left early in the fourth and came back. Cutdown day is Sunday, Aug. 30. Those are the names that actually change a 53.

Bird Gang bottom line

Penix in team drills Monday is the only thing from Indianapolis that follows Atlanta to Week 1. The 34-6 is useful for Jack Strand’s résumé and for anyone still spiraling about Denver. It is not a Tua tape, and it is not a Penix tape. If you are already building a pick’em league at pickembaby.com, wait for who takes the ones next week — that is the card, not Lucas Oil.

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