Falcons Teetering on the Edge, One Spark from a Breakthrough
The Falcons might be the NFL’s biggest contradiction.
Some drives they look like a team ready to make noise in January. Others they look like they’re still figuring out who they are. And sometimes, that contrast shows up within the same game—or quarter.
At the center of it all is Michael Penix Jr., whose second NFL season has turned into a weekly test of what this team really is (and what it could become).
One week, he looks like the future of the franchise. The next, like a reminder that growing pains don’t vanish overnight.
That’s what makes this version of the Falcons so compelling, and, let’s be honest, so annoying.
That win over Washington before the bye week (313 yards, two touchdowns, and a unit that finally looked connected) was the best glimpse yet of what this team can be.
It's been a case of multiple personalities with Michael Penix Jr.
That was the confident, in-control Penix the Falcons have been waiting for. But the other version is still lurking…
The one who struggles when pressure comes early, who forces throws instead of living for the next down. The one who sometimes plays as if every drive has to end in a highlight moment.
That version showed up in Carolina, where the Falcons were smothered 30-0 and Penix looked overwhelmed.
Everything about this roster suggests that the Falcons should matter in the NFC: a physical offensive line, a defense that’s quietly climbing toward the top 10, and a skill group with heaps of talent.
But the Falcons don’t just play like the 25-year-old, they “feel” like him. Exciting. Unfinished. Capable of greatness, but one bad series away from chaos.
That’s not an insult; it’s the cost of potential. The Falcons drafted Penix No. 8 overall to build something sustainable, not to hit a one-year ceiling. What they’re finding out now is that development and contention aren’t mutually exclusive, they’re just uncomfortable to live in at the same time.
When the Falcons face Josh Allen and the Bills on Monday Night Football, it will be a test of composure, of whether Atlanta’s second-year quarterback can replicate his highs without falling back into his lows—while battling the reigning MVP on a national stage.
Because if Penix strings together performances like he did against Washington, the Falcons have the roster to become a serious NFC threat. If he doesn’t, the cracks that briefly disappeared in Week 4 will start showing again.
The Falcons are close. Close enough to taste what this can be, but still one spark away from it all clicking… or collapsing.
Henderson Silver Knights Fall 2-1 in Overtime Against Abbotsford Canucks
Carl Lindbom sat on the bench as the Henderson Silver Knights pressed with an extra attacker, their net empty and the crowd at Lee’s Family Forum on its feet. The tension was high as Henderson was still searching for the equalizer as Abbotsford clung to a 1-0 lead.
Each second seemed like an eternity as time was ticking. That was until Tanner Laczynski scored on a wide-open net after the puck was loose in front of the net, giving the Silver Knights the tie.
“He’s a big, heavy, strong guy in this league, [a] guy that can drive offense,” head coach Ryan Craig said following the 2-1 loss in overtime. “We expect him to be heavy on pucks, heavy in the faceoff circle and continue to get to the hard areas to score like that.”
The Silver Knights fell in their opener on Friday night but will have another opportunity tomorrow. Here is the game recap.
Silver Knights Fall in Overtime Against Canucks
The Silver Knights were backed by 2021 seventh-round netminder Lindbom, who registered a 2.01 goals-against average and stopped 28 of 30 shots.
“Carl picked up where he left off last year, where he started off his camp,” Craig said. “I thought he was solid for his first regular season start of the year, and we’ve come to expect that out of him.”
Lindbom won 18 games in 36 appearances last season and continues to shepherd the Silver Knights on the backend.
Along with Lindbom, the Silver Knights also have a fair share of veterans on the team to start the 2025-26 season. On the defense, it’s led by alternate captain
“That was a big point,” Megna said. “Those matter towards the end of the season. You may not remember them, but it’s always big to get up for you.”
The Canucks won the 2025 Calder Cup last season, and as the reigning champions of the American Hockey League, Megna enjoys the challenge of playing last year’s champions.
“They play the same style they played last year,” Megna said. “That’s a winning formula. So it’s good to go up against teams that are organized and kind of have a game plan, and you kind of see where you’re at.”
The Silver Knights are now 3-2-1 all-time in season openers, but with 11 new faces on the roster, growing pains are inevitable this season.
“It’s just a matter of learning the league, learning what counts,” Craig said. “I think we can do a better job of putting pucks in behind them, establishing a forecheck, hanging on to pucks in the offensive zone, those kind of things.”
Nearly halfway through the second period, Ben Berard scored to give the Canucks a 1-0 lead. The Silver Knights had a chance on the five-on-three power play, but failed to convert, going 0/2 on the night.
“We haven’t had a lot of game reps with those groups,” Craig said. “I think it’s a matter of guys playing in positions and finding ways. I like that we attacked.”
After Laczynski’s goal late in the third period, the Canucks maintained the puck in overtime, and Max Sasson scored, and Abbotsford walked away with a season-opening win.
“Really couldn’t, couldn’t grab an early lead,” Craig said. “But I thought we stuck with it. We were in the third period to get a point.”
The Silver Knights play against Abbotsford again tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. PDT and will attempt to get in the win column to start the 2025-26 season.
“We were excited to play, and you could see it, and I think they kind of settled into their game and gave their push,” Megna said. “I thought throughout the course of the night, we didn’t execute as well as we could have, but the effort was there for sure.”
