With Penix back at quarterback, Falcons show resiliency in win that restores hope for the season

ATLANTA (AP) — Just four days after their most lopsided home loss ever at Mercedes-Benz Stadium — which had fans booing in the first quarter — the Atlanta Falcons pulled off an overwhelming bounce-back win that restored hope for the season.

This time, it was the Green Bay Packers who heard boos from their fans. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who played in his first game in 10 months, was a difference-maker for the Falcons (1-2) in their surprising 35-14 win at Green Bay on Thursday night.

Penix completed 18 of 25 passes for 256 yards with one touchdown and one interception. After throwing an interception on the Falcons' first drive, Penix went on to complete 16 of 18 passes in the final three quarters.

For perhaps the final time this season, coach Kevin Stefanski was asked Friday if Penix would remain the starter in the Falcons' next game. “Confirmed,” Stefanski said.

“I’m proud of how Mike played. I know he can build upon that. I know he wants to be better.”

Indeed, the much-anticipated quarterback competition between Penix and Tua Tagovailoa was never a race. Penix's recovery after tearing the ACL in his left knee during a loss to Carolina on Nov. 16 and Tagovailoa's oblique injury left both inactive for the first two weeks.

With Cooper Rush the starting quarterback, the Falcons scored a combined 16 points in their first two games, including an embarrassing 34-3 home loss to Carolina on Sunday. With Penix behind center, the Falcons scored 27 unanswered points. Bijan Robinson rushed for 194 yards and Drake London added 194 receiving yards.

Atlanta's balanced offense produced 498 yards — 242 rushing and 256 passing.

Safety Jessie Bates III said he “absolutely” expected the Falcons to play like winners.

“We knew what this team was about,” Bates said. "Those first two weeks was not who we were at all. I think, obviously, with Mike Penix coming back that brought us some juice. As a team, when you can stop the run and run the ball at that level that we did today, you’re going to win a lot of ball games like that.”

The Falcons played winning football on offense, defense and special teams.

Penix answered the quarterback question but Stefanski stressed the win was not about one player. The Falcons outrushed the Packers 242-17 — the fewest rushing yards allowed in team history. Atlanta’s pass rush put constant pressure on Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love.

Zach Harrison's blocked field goal attempt was a highlight for the special teams.

While tight end Austin Hooper had a touchdown catch, Kyle Pitts had only one catch for five yards. Stefanski insisted again on Friday Pitts' lack of targets in the first three games is not an indication of what he expects to come.

“When a defense plays a certain way the ball goes where it goes,” Stefansk said. “Kyle is going to be a big part of this offense. ... Kyle will be a huge part of what we do.”

Penix's return had a dramatic impact on London's production. London had nine receptions for a career-high 194 yards. His 10 targets matched his combined total for the first two games.

Rush was inactive as the emergency third quarterback. Tagovailoa, who had been inactive the first two weeks while recovering from an oblique injury, was Penix's backup. If the Falcons view undrafted rookie Jack Strand as a player with developmental value, Rush's roster spot could be at risk if a need develops at another position and keeping four quarterbacks is a luxury the team can no longer afford. Rush threw four interceptions and led only one touchdown drive in his two starts.

DE Samson Ebukam (hamstring) was inactive and CB A.J. Terrell (groin) was out for the first of at least four games after being placed on injured reserve. While Penix was in the spotlight, another important returning player was CB Billy Bowman, who had a tackle and two passes defensed after recovering from an Achilles tendon injury.

12 — While Cameron Thomas recorded Atlanta's only sack, the Falcons had 12 pressures on Love, including four each by Thomas and Brandon Dorlus.

Stefanski described the pass rush as “outstanding” and having a big impact on Love's effectiveness.

“We love to get the sacks whenever we can, but you want to pressure quarterback and I thought he was under pressure quite a bit,” Stefanski said.

The Falcons will play another prime-time game when they visit New Orleans on Monday, Oct. 5.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Atlanta Falcons' Bijan Robinson runs for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)

Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski talks after an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Atlanta Falcons' Michael Penix Jr. reacts after an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Atlanta Falcons' Bijan Robinson smiles after an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)

Atlanta Falcons' Michael Penix Jr. throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)

HILO, Hawaii (AP) — Residents on Hawaii's Big Island were bracing Friday for potentially life-threatening and catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Nolo, while Mexico was still under the threat of Hurricane Polo as it headed toward the Baja Peninsula after bringing storm conditions to the southwestern coast.

Nolo was about 185 miles (298 kilometers) south of the Big Island on Friday morning and headed northeast, with tropical storm conditions expected to begin on land in the evening, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. It was expected to take a turn west Saturday and avoid directly hitting the islands.

Forecasters warned eastern and southern areas of the island could see rainfall totals of 10 to 15 inches (25 to 38 centimeters), with a maximum of 25 inches (64 centimeters). That was down from an earlier forecast of 15 to 30 inches (38 to 76 centimeters), with a maximum of 35 inches (89 centimeters). Wind gusts on land could hit 50 mph (80 kph).

Nolo was expected to strengthen to a major hurricane on Saturday.

“People are going to want to kind of shelter in place on the Big Island, be in their safe place, certainly by later today, tonight, well into Saturday," Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, said Friday. “Don’t venture out if you don’t have to into the dangerous flooding environment, but also high winds. We can have trees and power lines down.”

Heavy rainfall also was possible on Hawaii's other islands, the hurricane center said. Maui also could see heavy rainfall and potential life-threatening flooding and mudslides, forecasters said.

The hurricane's maximum sustained winds were 85 mph (137 kph) on Friday morning and were expected to increase into the weekend.

Hawaii officials told residents to put together emergency kits and the governor issued an emergency proclamation, activating more than 230 Hawaii National Guard members. Schools were closed.

Hawaii County officials on the Big Island were urging residents in flood-prone areas to consider taking refuge at shelters being set up or other locations. Authorities said sand for sandbags was publicly available at several locations.

“We encourage everyone to complete their preparations, stay connected to official alerts and weather updates, and secure safe shelter before flooding strikes,” Mayor Kimo Alameda said in a statement.

The heaviest rain from Nolo is likely to fall over the same southeastern region of the Big Island that was hit in August by Hurricane Lala and where grounds are still wet from additional precipitation. The storm surge could hit 1 to 3 feet (30 to 91 centimeters), creating large and dangerous waves and coastal flooding, the hurricane center said.

Hawaiian Electric, the state’s primary utility, said crews that had been helping restore power in Kauai after this month’s Hurricane Lowell would return to Oahu, Maui and the Big Island in preparation for the coming storm.

Residents and tourists on the Big Island were busy preparing.

“I guess that’d be my concern — whether we’re getting out of here or not, but, you know, as far as the weather goes, it is what it is," said Daniel Compton, who was visiting from Seattle.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green has requested an emergency disaster declaration for four Hawaii counties.

The hurricane center said Polo gained significant force overnight into Friday morning as it brought storm conditions to parts of the western Mexico coast. The latest estimated sustained winds were 180 mph (290 kph). Its center was far from land over the ocean and headed west, but it is expected to turn north and hit the Baja California Peninsula late Sunday into Monday, the center said.

No major damage or flooding was reported along the coast overnight into Friday.

Residents stacked sandbags to fortify beachfront shops and evacuated their homes in some coastal areas on Thursday. Mexican authorities opened shelters and cleared people from beaches, and 15,000 security personnel were deployed across the coast. Schools were closed.

In the port city of Lázaro Cárdenas in Michoacán, seawater swept through homes and left wooden planks and furniture strewn on the streets. Locals and government officials were clearing debris and shoveling thick mud coating much of the town.

Alicia Contreras said the walls and roof of her restaurant had been severely damaged by 15-foot (4.5-meter) waves. As officers and family helped pick through the damage, Contreras worried about how she would recover economically.

“This is huge because we have no other source of income. Now we’re just surviving,” Contreras said.

Brennan said some moisture associated with Polo will be pushed into parts of the southwestern U.S. by Monday, possibly producing scattered flash flooding in the Four Corners region, particularly portions of Arizona and New Mexico.

El Niño is prompting major environmental shifts across the world, fueling drought in some areas and flooding in others. It traditionally dampens the Atlantic hurricane season, while it tends to rev up tropical cyclone activity in the Pacific with moist air and little wind shear.

A third storm in the Pacific, Hurricane Odalys, was at Category 4 status and was still far from land, roughly 955 miles (1,537 kilometers) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.

Two other powerful storms were churning in the Atlantic Ocean, but were not near land.

In the northern Atlantic, Tropical Storm Fay re-formed early Thursday. As of Friday, it was about 1,040 miles (1,674 kilometers) west-southwest of the Azores, the hurricane center said. Off Africa's western coast, Tropical Storm Gonzalo strengthened early Friday as it approached the Cabo Verde Islands.

Associated Press writers Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego; and Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.

Members of Youth With A Mission read under a palm tree as Hurricane Nolo sits nearby Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Kona, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Members of Youth With A Mission read under a palm tree as Hurricane Nolo sits nearby Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Kona, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Gonzalo in the Atlantic Ocean, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image provided by NOAA shows Tropical Storm Nolo, left, south of Hawaii; Hurricane Odalys, middle, and Hurricane Polo, right, off the coast of Mexico, in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Gonzalo in the Atlantic Ocean, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image provided by NOAA shows Hurricane Polo off the southwestern coast of Mexico and Hurricane Odalys, left, on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (NOAA via AP) CORRECTION: Changes to Hurricane Odalys, not Tropical Storm Nolo.

This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Nolo in the Pacific Ocean, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This photo provided by NOAA shows Hurricane Polo moving away from the southwestern coast of Mexico on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image provided by NOAA shows Tropical Storm Nolo, left, south of Hawaii; Hurricane Odalys, middle, and Hurricane Polo, right, off the coast of Mexico, in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (NOAA via AP)