00:00Do you consider this to be Michael Pinnock's third year or his second year?
00:08Yeah, I mean, the first year he was going to watch.
00:10That was always the intention of the general manager.
00:13But he came in.
00:15They didn't have him ready to come in sooner.
00:17He could have come to the rescue, but the coaching staff was inept
00:19and didn't have him prepared to step up for Cousins.
00:22We talked to Rob about that every week, remember?
00:24We did.
00:25Flowery Branch.
00:25So when he got in, I thought, aside from the interception,
00:29which may or may not have been his fault, the game against the Commanders,
00:31I thought was one of his best games in these 12 games he's played.
00:35But that was year one.
00:36Correct.
00:37And he's only played 12 games.
00:38So he's not really technically played a full season when you add the two seasons together.
00:43And when you start talking about these sophomore quarterbacks,
00:46like Cam Ward, who I'm not sold on.
00:48I've told you this.
00:50Jackson Dart, Mike.
00:51A lot of high expectations for him this upcoming season.
00:55And then Tyler Shook.
00:56And the reason why I bring him up is because he's in New Orleans
00:58and we're going to see him twice.
00:59Right.
01:00And there's a lot of expectations for him.
01:03He took over for the Saints in week nine.
01:04And all of a sudden, it looked like he was the guy for the part.
01:09These are guys that are allegedly going to take that sophomore jump, Mike,
01:13that they're going to be better.
01:14The reason why I ask you about Pinnock's is because if you view him as really
01:17this is his second year, then he needs to take a sophomore jump.
01:22Because, yes, he's been here, but Mike's told you.
01:25Halfway, you know, he only played four games or whatever.
01:27And then last year, total is 12 games.
01:30I'm not looking at this as his third year.
01:32I'm looking at this as his second full season, Mike, coming off of this injury.
01:36And I'm putting him in this category with these guys.
01:39I'm not telling you he's better.
01:40Like J.J. McCarthy.
01:41Correct.
01:41J.J. McCarthy.
01:42If you're a Minnesota fan, you probably feel it's his second year.
01:44It's his second year.
01:45And regardless, we're still in the big picture.
01:47We're still in the year three.
01:48We don't know what he is.
01:48Right.
01:49Now, contract-wise, we're in the year three.
01:51Playing on the field, I think it's year two.
01:53Does that make sense?
01:54Because of a lack of starts and all the things that go into that.
01:57And the same is going to go for Cam Ward, who started, you know, all season last year
02:01for the Titans.
02:01And then Jackson Dart, who came in with the Giants.
02:03Now, he's got a new coach.
02:04And everybody thinks Harbaugh's going to do a great job with him.
02:06And then the Tyler Shook situation down there in New Orleans.
02:08And so, I'm looking at our guy and Michael Penix and saying, this to me, technically, is
02:15year two.
02:17And I don't know what to expect.
02:19I mean, the completion percentage has got to come up.
02:22It averages out to a tick under 60.
02:24And that's, the benchmark is at least 60% in the NFL.
02:27And he's below that.
02:2812 touchdowns, six picks.
02:29You know, we've talked about, like, his first interception of his career.
02:32Not even his fault.
02:33That was Kyle Pisco.
02:33And remember playing volleyball with the ball against the Giants.
02:36That was his opening, his first start against the Giants at Mercedes-Benz.
02:41But, yeah, man, he's got to, I want to see him be more decisive.
02:45As we said, I don't know how they want him to handle the pocket.
02:47If he sees something happen where he can take seven or eight yards, get some positive yards.
02:51Because that was, they were always behind the sticks, which added to all the pressure
02:54last year.
02:55The team was blitzing him.
02:56We talked, I mean, just one thing sort of just snowballed into another.
02:59Because we just never seem to have manageable down and distance in so many games.
03:02So, Mike, let me ask you.
03:03Cam Ward, I'm just using these guys as examples.
03:05If you put him in the same category and say, well, really, it's his second year.
03:08Okay, great.
03:09So, last year, Cam Ward was 15 and seven.
03:11That's 15 touchdowns, seven interceptions.
03:13Did that get it done for you with Michael Penix?
03:17First year?
03:17I mean, with the weapons we have?
03:19No way, right?
03:20They're kind of bereft of talent.
03:21They're restocking up in Tennessee.
03:23I know, yeah, but that's 21st in the league.
03:25I'm just giving you some categories and some numbers here.
03:27Mike brought up the, you know, percentage, completion percentage, which is a big deal.
03:31So, then you go to a guy like Jackson Dart.
03:34Five interceptions, 15 touchdowns.
03:37That was tied for ninth.
03:39What are your expectations if you feel like I do that technically this is year two?
03:45Is it 20 touchdowns?
03:46Because this is what guys did last year.
03:48And by the way, you know, we're talking about him ranking ninth in the touchdown to interception ratio.
03:53But all these other categories were basically 20 or above, 25th in net yards per attempt, passing success rate.
04:00He was 30th.
04:01I'm talking about Jackson Dart.
04:02And a lot of people think he's going to be a really good quarterback in this league.
04:04And then the Tyler Shook kid who took over in week nine, Mike, not enough opportunities, but he was 10
04:09and six.
04:0910 touchdowns, six interceptions.
04:11What if it was 16 touchdowns and 11 picks?
04:13That's Matt Ryan's rookie year.
04:14Okay.
04:15So, how about that, guys?
04:16A day-to-day is a benchmark.
04:18Matt went from 16 and 11 in his second year.
04:20He went to 22 and 14.
04:21See, that's what I think the number should be.
04:23Right.
04:24And the completion percentage actually went down in 2009.
04:262010, that's the year we were the number, I think we were the two seed in the NFC that year
04:31or one.
04:31Anyway, he had...
04:32He lost to Green Bay.
04:34Yeah.
04:3428 touchdowns, nine picks.
04:35That's what you want to be living at.
04:37That was Matt's third year.
04:38That's what I think he should be at.
04:40And again, I'll go back to the second year.
04:4220 what?
04:4222?
04:43Yeah, 22 touchdowns in Matt's second year and 14 picks.
04:46That's where he's got to be.
04:47And I say picks.
04:48Obviously, we don't want 14 picks if you can avoid that.
04:50But the 22, 20-plus touchdowns is what I'm talking about.
04:54And if it's less than that, Mike, then is he really taking a jump?
04:58Right.
04:59I mean, first things first, I don't want to open up this can of worms.
05:02What?
05:02He's got to win the job.
05:03What do you mean?
05:04He's got to beat out two for the starting job.
05:06No, no, no.
05:06According to all of our listeners, he's fine.
05:08He's ready to go.
05:09He's dancing.
05:09He's good.
05:10He's going to be there.
05:11He's ready to rock.
05:11I mean, we've made the argument that, you know, you would think from a purely financial
05:15standpoint, more reasonable for the Falcons if Pennix can grab the brass ring, take the
05:20job, and you've got two years of salary control, then the fifth-year option.
05:23You guys know how that works out.
05:24It's all slated.
05:25If Tua wins the job, balls out.
05:27Good news.
05:28I mean, I think most Falcons fans don't care who does it.
05:30Just win some games and get us out of this.
05:31Oh, they care.
05:32Get us out of this playoff rut.
05:34You know, we haven't been in the playoffs in eight years.
05:37But, you know, I've got to be honest.
05:38If Tua balls out, they're going to bring him back.
05:41And then Michael Pennix is the backup.
05:43And it's a bust.
05:45But how do you, how does he, and I know this is the chicken and the egg debate, how does
05:49he, you know, beat Tua if he can't be 100%?
05:52We're just hoping that this is four weeks off.
05:55He's going to be 100% here in just a couple weeks.
05:57Hey, can I ask you something else, too?
05:58Something we necessarily haven't broached yet.
06:00It's Dukes and Bell Sports Radio, 92.9, a game.
06:02Grant's on the way.
06:02We'll talk Braves, guys.
06:04And more on the U.S. men's national team.
06:06Is there a way that Pennix wins this job and then loses it?
06:12Ooh.
06:13That's a great question.
06:14I mean, if he, well, if things don't work out, if he starts making mistakes.
06:18Because everybody.
06:19His turnovers, the footwork gets sloppy.
06:21Things, if he backslides, then, look, Stefanski's not going to monkey around.
06:24He'll go with the guy that can do the job.
06:25But I still think, and the way they handled the offseason, not that they would tell the
06:29fans, hey, we're not really looking to make the playoffs this year.
06:31It's kind of a holding pattern.
06:32But the way you approach free agency, I know you inked your wide receiver and you inked
06:36Pitts, but still, they didn't really spend a lot of money on that.
06:38You know, it's all one-year contracts.
06:39So maybe they'll give him more rope.
06:42Give him more room to make mistakes and grow.
06:44I just think most of you who are listening right now feel like whoever wins the job out of
06:49camp is the guy for the rest of the season.
06:52Not necessarily.
06:53And I don't believe that.
06:54That's why I'm saying this.
06:55I never even thought about that.
06:57I'm not.
06:57I'm not.
06:58We just assume who gets it takes it.
06:59That's what most of you think.
07:00Like, well, it's Penix.
07:01It's week one.
07:02And he's good.
07:02He's healthy.
07:04But just like with Kirk Cousins, guys, if he goes five weeks and throws seven interceptions
07:08and we're losing, there is a chance that you could win the job, but you could also lose
07:14the job during the season.
07:15And I just don't think most people are thinking that way, which is another reason why, Mike,
07:19to be quite honest, whether it's Penix or Tua, that you have another viable option.
07:24I feel really good about that situation if it was to play out that way, and I hope it
07:29doesn't.
07:30I hope whoever gets it plays well and we roll.
07:33But can you imagine if it was a lesser quarterback that was backing up one of these guys and we
07:39were like, yeah, well, if he doesn't play well, who are we going to?
07:42Right.
07:42I mean, like, there's just the, we talked about the momentum from the fan base, guys
07:47that were on Mike.
07:47And look, they're all good guys, not like they're bad dudes.
07:50You know, we've been playing all the sound bites.
07:51Everybody's pulling for these guys.
07:52But I mean, even if Tua was quarterback last year, even as bad as he was and he got benched,
07:5720 touchdowns.
07:58It's better.
07:5820 touchdowns in the passing game from one guy maybe gets us in the playoffs last year.
08:02And that's what I'm saying.
08:02With Penix, for me, I know he's going to say, wait, I'm going to my third year.
08:07Yes, technically you are.
08:08Salary-wise, you are.
08:09Playing time-wise, you're not.
08:12And I need to see you go from, what was it, 15 touchdowns to 20-plus.
08:17Right?
08:17That's the jump for him.
08:20404-726-0929.
08:21You guys can text us.
08:22Let us know what you think.
08:23Find Mike on social media.
08:24Hey, man.
08:26ATL Bell 929.
08:27Hell if I know.
08:28There he is.
08:29Just look for Mike Bell Radio.
08:30You'll find me.
08:31I'm out there.
08:32Put him up!
08:33I don't care.
08:33You know, the social media, it's the best thing that ever happened.
08:36I don't pull my hair out anymore.
08:37I don't care.
08:37It's overrated.
08:38I agree.
08:38Put him up, C-Dukes.
08:39Find us.
08:40You can talk to us and tell us what's going on and follow the show at Dukes & Bell 929.
08:44I just, it's just something I got to thinking about with this whole, what is the number?
08:49Because everybody, we're going to ask Mike, we'll ask two or two, what's the goal, right?
08:53What have you set yourself up for, at least in your mind, to consider this to be success?
09:00And all these guys are like, yeah, and they don't want to tell you.
09:03But I got to tell you, if it's less than 20 touchdowns, neither one of these guys are balling out.
09:06Right.
09:07I remember Kirk Cousins.
09:08It was a four-game win streak.
09:09It wasn't like Cousins was throwing statistically, I mean, he had one really good game when he
09:12came back, but it was pretty average.
09:13But it was just competent.
09:14You and I always use the phrase, call it baseline, competent quarterback play that we've just
09:19not had for the last couple of years.
09:21Yeah.
09:21It's going to be interesting.
09:22All right.
09:23More on that as we get closer to camp, guys.
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