Inside The Huskies

Penix Makes Second NFL Appearance, Facing Nix in Mop-up Role

The former UW quarterback completed 2 of 4 passes in brief outing.

Dan Raley

Former Husky quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is shown in his NFL debut against the Seahawks and he played again against Denver.
Former Husky quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is shown in his NFL debut against the Seahawks and he played again against Denver. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Every time Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix get together on the football field, it's been a close game that favored the former University of Washington quarterback -- until Sunday.

Under totally different circumstances, Penix made his second NFL appearance in a mop-up role at the tail end of the Atlanta Falcons' 38-6 blowout loss to Nix and the Denver Broncos on Sunday in the Colorado city.

Replacing starter Kirk Cousins late in the fourth quarter, Penix completed 2 of 4 passes for 24 yards with the game well out of reach.

Former Huskies, QB Michael Penix Jr. of the Falcons and WR Jalen McMillan of the Bucs, exchange jerseys after their game.
Former Huskies, QB Michael Penix Jr. of the Falcons and receiver Jalen McMillan of the Bucs, exchange jerseys after their recent game / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Nix, a rookie who serves as the Broncos starter for a 5-5 team, was at his best on Sunday, hitting on 28 of 33 attempts for 307 yards and 4 touchdowns.

These first-year NFL quarterbacks had met three times over the previous two seasons at the college level while playing for the UW and Oregon, respectively. Each game resulted in a 3-point Huskies victory at three different sites -- Eugene's Autzen Stadium, Husky Stadium in Montlake and Las Vegas' Allegient Stadium.

In April, Penix was drafted in the first round and eighth overall while Nix went four picks later. While Penix will wait for Cousins to finish up his pro career or time in Atlanta before he takes on a more prominent role, Meantime, Nix was thrust into a starting role right away after the Broncos parted ways with former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

Penix, who made his NFL debut on Oct. 20 in a 34-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, has season totals of 3-for-5 passing for 38 yards.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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