The Atlanta Falcons could not get the job done on the road as they bowed to the San Francisco 49ers, 20-10, at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday. The Falcons looked to win a third consecutive game, but their offense sputtered against the shorthanded hosts.
The Falcons only scored twice on nine drives, including getting blanked in the fourth quarter. Michael Penix Jr. had a strong performance in the first half but failed to up the ante after the break, allowing the 49ers to run away with the victory. Penix went 21-of-38 for 241 yards and a touchdown while getting sacked twice.
After the game, the second-year quarterback expressed his frustration. “We have too many good players on this team to not find a way (to win),” said Penix, as quoted by Falcons reporter Tori McElhaney. He deemed the loss unacceptable, especially considering the team’s depth.
The 49ers were missing key players Brock Purdy, Nick Bosa, Ricky Pearsall, and Fred Warner due to injuries, but the Falcons still fell short, dropping their third loss in six outings. Adding to Atlanta’s struggles, Divine Deable left the game in the first half with a forearm injury.
The Falcons managed only 62 rushing yards and committed six penalties. Defensively, they struggled as well, giving up 324 total yards, including 201 yards from Christian McCaffrey, who scored two touchdowns. This marked McCaffrey’s first 200-yard game from scrimmage since 2019.
Towards the end of the game, Penix was seen heading to the medical tent after taking multiple hits. Falcons coach Raheem Morris, however, was not overly concerned about his quarterback’s condition. “Obviously, we’ve got to let him go get evaluated. He gave me the thumbs up on the sideline when we were asking him, so he was OK to finish. We’ll see where he is tomorrow,” Morris said during the postgame conference.
The Falcons will return to action in Week 8 as they prepare to face the Miami Dolphins.
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