After his worst NFL performance, and arguably in his entire football career, Michael Penix Jr. vows to be better moving forward as the Atlanta Falcons quarterback.

“I’m going to shake back,” he said. “I promise you I will.”

In a monsoon-like road NFC South clash, Penix tossed four interceptions against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during Sunday’s 16-0 shutout Week 8 loss for Atlanta (3-5). Penix finished completing a measly 8 of 24 passes for 125 yards.

Underthrows and Tampa (3-5) defenders jumping passes led to interceptions. Linebacker Alex Anzalone caught two, and cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Jacob Parrish had one apiece.

Penix admitted that the football’s dampness was the main challenge behind the disastrous afternoon. But he isn’t using that as a crutch.

“The conditions are what the conditions are,” Penix told reporters after the game. “Both teams had to play in it.”

The interception-laced game followed Penix playing some of his best football – two straight three-touchdown games against legitimate Super Bowl contenders, the Chicago Bears, and the San Francisco 49ers.

“I do not,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said when asked if he had concerns about Penix’s oxymoronic performance compared to the previous weeks. “Obviously, we can do a better job. Mike can do a better job. I can do a better job.”

Much hype surrounded Penix entering the Bucs game, as he had just been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Falcons to a win over the formerly undefeated Niners. Also, it was his first time in the NFL or college that Penix played near his hometown of Dade City, less than an hour from Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.

“I had a lot of family in the stands,” Penix said. “For them to see that performance, a performance I never had in life, it kind of sucked.”

He added that Bucs head coach and defensive playcaller Todd Bowles “didn’t do anything special,” and that Tampa Bay played coverage instead of showing many blitz looks, its usual calling card.

The Bucs still only mustered 16 points despite nabbing four picks for Penix, which he said was the first time that had ever happened to him. 

Additionally, the Bucs never completed a pass on Sunday in their three attempts; the first time an NFL team has won a game with that stat since 1974.

That’s right, they didn’t complete a pass. And didn’t have to.

Penix’s interceptions put the Falcons defense in short-field situations, allowing three field goals and the game’s lone touchdown, a four-yard rush by running back Bucky Irving.

So the Falcons’ third-year signal caller is rightfully shouldering the blame for Sunday’s embarrassment.

“As a quarterback, the leader, I got to protect the ball,” Penix said. “That’s the only way that we’re going to be able to win these games, and I did a poor job of that today.”

The Falcons next face the Cincinnati Bengals for the NFL’s Week 9 Madrid game next Sunday, Nov. 8. Kickoff is at 9:30 a.m. on the NFL Network.

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