Falcons - 34, Commanders - 27.
Q. How good did it feel to bounce back today, and what went into it?
MICHAEL PENIX JR.: It was great. To be able to get this team a win, it was awesome. I feel like just seeing the guys respond -- after that tough loss last week. I feel like what contributed to it was basically the response and the way the guys went about their business each and every day leading up to this game this week. And it showed true maturity and showed what this team is really about.
Q. I talked to coach a minute ago about Kyle Pitts and his performance today. He said he's been playing well all season. Your thoughts?
MICHAEL PENIX JR.: He's been playing really well. He's been doing everything we've been asking him to do and he's been doing it at a high level. Whenever things like that happen, the ball finds you. He's been doing it consistently. And he made a lot of big-time plays today.
Q. You talk about the response from a team perspective. What about from an individual perspective for you? What did you do differently today?
MICHAEL PENIX JR.: I wouldn't say I did anything different. The biggest thing is just continue to believe and trust in myself, in my abilities that God has given me. And that's all I can do at the end of the day and go out there play my heart out for my team to help us win football games.
It's not always going to be perfect. I'm not perfect. But at the end of the day as long as I go out there give it all for my team I know that's enough. Today it was enough. And we won the game today.
Q. Having Zac down on the field with you, did you kind of notice any differences operationally and the communication that you all were having with him there today?
MICHAEL PENIX JR.: It's just sideline stuff, just hearing things that he's thinking, that he might talk about on the headsets that other coaches are relaying to me. But to be able to hear, to hear him telling me and not coming from the other coaches but hearing it come from him, who actually is calling the play, I feel like that was definitely big-time. And I feel like it was great.
Q. Piggyback on that last question there, Drake London was saying it's great to see his face down there; that was motivational to see Zac Robinson looking at you face to face. Talk about that, the energy he gives you guys just seeing him down there?
MICHAEL PENIX JR.: It was good. It gives us confidence. And to be able to come off to the sideline and be able to hear from him exactly what he's seeing and the way that he wants to set up the plays, the next drive, it was awesome to have. And I feel like it definitely was a good thing for us today.
Q. Was there a moment today, whether it be a throw or a play or anything, where you felt like, okay, this is more like us, this is more like me; I feel it's going to click today?
MICHAEL PENIX JR.: When I woke up. When I woke up, just blessed. I always put my faith and trust in God. Obviously after the performance last week, there's a lot of people that have a lot of things to say. But the only person I listen to is God. I know that he has my back. He's with me through all the ups and downs.
So at the end of the day as long as I go out there, be myself, continue to trust in him, I'll be fine.
Q. What was this week like coming off that loss and heading into a team that's very good in the Commanders? What was the week like for you, your teammates, what was it like for you guys after the game last week?
MICHAEL PENIX JR.: It was great. The guys responded great. The way that everybody went about practice, it was just everybody was flying around and making the big-time plays in practice so they could come true, come to light in the game. It did today.
But it was really good. I feel like there's just a lot of positive energy in the building. Obviously it's tough to have after a loss like we did last week. To be able to have that and the guys being ready to bounce back and come out and put on a performance like they did today, it was awesome to see.
Q. Could you describe your level of confidence when you put the ball in the hands of Bijan Robinson?
MICHAEL PENIX JR.: As long as I do that I feel like we're in a good spot. It's a lot of confidence there. Obviously the player he is, the person he is, it shows on the field and it was great to have him, too.
Q. Of course, Coach talked about he knew you were ready coming in Monday, but was there a message from you to your teammates before the game or this week?
MICHAEL PENIX JR.: To be you, be yourself. We all are here for a reason. And something that D.J. told me, just be yourself, don't go out there and feel like you've got to be Superman and try to do everything. At the end of the day, we're all here for a reason, and we just gotta believe in that and go out and execute and we'll be all good.
Q. Michael, going back to when you first started playing football, did you ever have another game similar to what you had last week, and how did you recover from that particular game, if you had a game similar?
MICHAEL PENIX JR.: I did. I didn't recover from that good at all. That was a tough year in 2021. Actually, my last year at Indiana, after that first Iowa game, that was a tough game. I think I had three picks, something like that. But tough, tough loss. I don't even remember who -- I don't remember the bounce-back, but I know that season wasn't the best for me, physically, mentally. But I'm here today; I'm blessed to be here today. And at the end of the day, I'm just keep being myself.
Q. Did you learn lessons from that that you brought to this game here to help you better handle that?
MICHAEL PENIX JR.: No, I feel like it was two totally different situations, two totally different areas of my life that I was in. So I wouldn't say that had much to do with what happened today. I think what happened today, the bounce-back that happened today, is just me continuing to believe in myself and my teammates and believing in God that I deserve to be here. And at the end of the day, it is football. Like I said, I'm not perfect. Nobody out here on the field is perfect. We try our best to be. But today we did enough to win.
Q. I hear about your confidence; you knew today would go as it has, but you were talking about the criticism you received. I'm curious, do you feel you showed people today about what kind of person, player you are?
MICHAEL PENIX JR.: It's about us. It's about us in this building. I don't want to sit here and say I showed other people something about me or about this team. But it's all about us. It's not always going to be perfect.
Like I said, I feel like I showed myself that I deserve to be here and I belong. And just not doubt, just don't doubt the preparation and don't the process and don't doubt God, because everything is for a reason, and I'm blessed to be here, like I said.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports