ATLANTA, Ga. — Michael Penix Jr. suffered a rib injury in the final moments of regulation and could not return as the Baltimore Ravens beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-23 in overtime Sunday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Penix stayed on the field for several minutes after a big hit, then worked with trainers on the sideline as overtime approached. He tried to stretch and throw, but the pain worsened while Baltimore held the ball for a 14-play, 63-yard drive that lasted about seven minutes.
By the time Tyler Huntley scored on a 1-yard sneak to put the Ravens ahead in overtime, Tua Tagovailoa was under center for Atlanta. Tagovailoa’s pass for Drake London was intercepted two plays later, ending the Falcons’ prime-time winning streak.
Penix said he did not feel he could give the team what it needed because of the pain, and he added that further imaging was planned for Monday even as he does not expect a long-term absence.
Before leaving, Penix completed 19 of 32 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown. Bijan Robinson ran for 86 yards, and the Falcons had led much of the night before Huntley engineered a tying score and two-point conversion in the final minute of regulation.
Derrick Henry ran for 102 yards against Atlanta’s top-ranked run defense as Baltimore improved to 4-1 and took sole possession of first place in the AFC North.
First-year Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said the club did not do enough to win, and Penix said he hopes to be ready when Atlanta hosts the Chicago Bears next weekend.
The rib issue leaves Atlanta at 2-3 with another quarterback question mark after a season already marked by rotation under center, even as Penix insisted he will work in the training room to get back on the field quickly.
