Penix Jr. doctor check: Falcons starters sit vs. Colts after joint-practice week

Michael Penix Jr. is still not taking hits. He said after Thursday’s joint practice in Indianapolis that the doctor call is now, and that “that time is coming real soon.” Saturday’s preseason game at Lucas Oil is not that time.

Kevin Stefanski already told reporters the starters sit. Twos and threes get the 1 p.m. kick. The joints were the tape. The scoreboard Saturday is a roster tryout.

Penix is close. Close is not 11-on-11.

Penix reported at the end of July and has been stuck at the same clearance: individuals, 1-on-1s with pass catchers, 7-on-7s. No team drills with a rush that can actually land. On July 29 he said his doctor wanted four more weeks at that level. That window is up.

Thursday he told Tori McElhaney he had a check-in scheduled. The quote that matters: he thinks he can get away from a rush. The problem is if he doesn’t.

“I don’t think my doctor is ready for me to take those hits right now, but that time is coming real soon.”

Whatever the doctor says, that’s the plan. Tua Tagovailoa has been the first-team quarterback through camp and the Broncos preseason opener. Cooper Rush and Jack Strand are the ones who actually play Saturday if Stefanski means what he said.

The joints, not Denver, were the look

Denver 27, Atlanta 7 last Friday was unofficial and ugly. Westfield was the first time this group lined up against another team’s ones.

Day 1 (Wednesday) was the offense. Jawaan Taylor — activated off PUP on Aug. 10 after March knee cleanup — took first-team right tackle, which is the blind side for both left-handed quarterbacks. Bijan’s first four touches of 11-on-11 all hit. Tua also threw a pick-six to Colts corner Justin Walley on a short ball to Drake London and blamed ball placement: outside shoulder instead of inside.

Day 2 (Thursday) was the defense, and the front won the period. Maason Smith stuffed a run on the first 11-on-11 snap. Undrafted Houston rookie Carlos Allen Jr. lived in the backfield. Brandon Dorlus and Chris Williams clogged lanes. Rookie linebackers Harold Perkins Jr. and Kendal Daniels both broke up 7-on-7 throws. A.J. Terrell and Darnay Holmes won early 1-on-1s.

That is the same pass-rush room that just lost Jalon Walker for the year and James Pearce Jr. for eight games and patched it with Za’Darius Smith. Joints are not sacks in September. They are also not the Berlin tape from last year, when Indianapolis dropped 512 yards and Jonathan Taylor scored three.

Saturday is a depth game — and a watchability one

Stefanski, before Thursday’s practice: starters will not play. The ones got the joint-practice reps. Saturday is “really their game” for the twos and threes.

Kick is 1 p.m. ET at Lucas Oil. FOX 5 in Atlanta (Justin Kutcher, Coy Wire, D.J. Shockley, Jen Hale). Radio is 92.9 The Game with Wes Durham and Dave Archer. Stream in-market on Falcons Stream; NFL+ or ESPN outside it.

Watch the edge committee and the interior. Atlanta signed defensive tackle Eric Johnson II on Friday morning — 6-foot-4, 320, 51 career games, one sack — to reunite him with defensive line coach Nate Ollie from their 2022–23 Colts years. That is a camp body, not a scheme change. Carlos Allen making the 53 is a more interesting Saturday question than the final score.

Roll call from Thursday: Taylor, Divine Deablo, and Jessie Bates III all worked some. Avieon Terrell and Billy Bowman Jr. did not.

Bird Gang bottom line

Penix talking to the doctor is the real news. Saturday is a dress rehearsal for people who might not make the team. If you are already building a Week 1 pick’em card at pickembaby.com, do not use the Colts preseason box score — use whether Penix is cleared for 11-on-11 next week, and whether this front can still get home without Walker and Pearce.

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