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NFL Penix was injured late in a Week 6 game against San Francisco. Lachlan Cunningham / Getty Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will return to the starting lineup against the New England Patriots on Sunday. The Falcons’ second-year quarterback missed Atlanta’s Week 8 loss to Miami due to a bone bruise in his left knee, but he was a full participant in Friday’s practice and was not given a designation on the team’s game report. Advertisement Penix was injured late in a Week 6 game against San Francisco. He finished that game but was limited throughout practices the next week. After taking the field for Atlanta’s first practice this week, he expressed optimism that he would be able to get back into action. “I felt really good at practice (Wednesday), ” he said. “I feel like I’m trending in the right direction and I’m going to keep practicing. ” Penix was listed as questionable going into last week’s game, but it became apparent to the Falcons the day before the game that he probably wasn’t going to be able to start. The final decision to hold him out came the morning of the game, coach Raheem Morris said. “I felt good that morning, but some things happened to where I wasn’t feeling my best, and me thinking about the team, I don’t feel like me being out there (last week) would have helped the team, ” Penix said. “I wouldn’t have been able to go out there and give the team 100 percent. I didn’t feel good, and I didn’t feel like I was going to be able to do what I needed to do to help my team win. ” Kirk Cousins was 21-of-31 for 173 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions in place of Penix against the Dolphins. Penix, the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft, will be squaring off against another quarterback from that draft class. New England’s Drake Maye, the third pick in that draft, is currently one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league. He is third in EPA per dropback (. 27), fifth in passing yards (2, 026) and tied for sixth in touchdown passes (15). Penix is still searching for that type of success. He is 26th in EPA per dropback (. 02) and 30th in touchdown passes (five), and the Falcons have lost two straight to drop to 3-4 this season. “We’re right where we want to be, people doubting us, people not thinking we can get it done, ” Penix said. “We have to go prove ourselves right and not the outside people. ” Advertisement Atlanta is 28th in the league in scoring (17. 14 ppg) and facing a Patriots defense that is fourth in the league in points allowed (18. 3). “It’s frustrating that we’re not putting points on the board. I’m not frustrated with the offense because I know what we’ve got, ” Penix said. “We just have to execute. It’s frustrating knowing what we have, and we’re not going out there and executing at a high level. It doesn’t have anything to do with anything on the outside. It doesn’t have anything to do with play-calling. It’s about us going out there and executing. ” In addition to Penix, wide receivers Drake London (hip) and Darnell Mooney (hamstring), tight end Kyle Pitts (ankle) and running back Tyler Allgeier will be available. Safety Jessie Bates (knee) and edge rushers Jalon Walker (groin) and Leonard Floyd (hamstring) are questionable. Defensive lineman Zach Harrison (knee), cornerback Billy Bowman (hamstring), offensive lineman Storm Norton and wide receiver Casey Washington (back) are out. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Josh Kendall , a Georgia native, has been following the Falcons since Jeff Van Note was the richly bearded face of the franchise. For 20 years before joining The Athletic NFL staff, he covered football in the SEC. He also covers golf for The Athletic. Follow Josh on Twitter @Josh The Athletic