Since Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​did not play in the preseason, rookie Michael Penix Jr. started Friday in Miami.

He did well with it.

“It was fun to watch him go out there and make some of the passing plays and we were able to get some things done,” coach Raheem Morris said after the game via NFL.com. “Pretty much a really good night for him and I was really pleased with what he was able to accomplish.”

Penix, the eighth overall pick in the draft, completed nine of 16 passes for 104 yards. He was responsible for five drives and played until the second quarter.

Be best game of the evening showed the kind of flair and precision that will create much excitement about his prospects.

“It was a great feeling to go out there and compete with my brothers,” Penix told reporters. “I was just having fun out there, playing the game I’ve been playing since I was five. So no nerves, no jitters, just ready to go.”

At the start of training camp, Penix and Taylor Heinicke shared second-team duties. Penix is ​​now the clear No. 2. The biggest question is if and when Penix will take Cousins’ spot in the starting lineup.

A major factor will be the explicit or implicit preferences of the man who owns the team. Will Arthur Blank want to see the expensive veteran or the rookie who may have higher potential?

The Falcons have indicated that Penix could sit out three years or more. The most realistic estimate is two years. It’s possible that by this time next year, Penix will be the starter and Cousins ​​will be somewhere else.