Vikings prepare to face another familiar QB in the Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. – Austin Daily Herald

By Emily Leiker

Star Tribune (TNS)

The thing Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips remembers most about Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr. from when they met with him ahead of the 2024 draft?

“Massive, massive hands,” Phillips said Thursday. “Yeah, they were just noticeable.”

Penix, who finished his collegiate career at Washington, was picked by the Falcons No. 8 overall, two picks before the Vikings selected J.J. McCarthyout of Michigan. That was just a few months after the two QBs faced off in the college football national championship game.

With the Falcons visiting U.S. Bank Stadium for “Sunday Night Football” this week, it’s the second straight game the Vikings face a quarterback from that draft class after beating the Bears and No. 1 pick Caleb Williams on Monday.

Phillips, defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell have praised Penix, whom they met with in the pre-draft process. He is now in his first full season as starter after taking over for former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins toward the end of last season.

“Michael Penix is a guy that we studied him a lot, know him very well, and know how talented he is as a thrower of the football,” O’Connell said Wednesday. “He truly excelled at the collegiate level, pushing the ball downfield, finding his receivers and throwing ball guys open, and finding ways to have massive amounts of explosives in a game from the pocket. And then what I think people are starting to learn about him is his ability to affect the game with his athleticism.”

Phillips also touched on Penix’s increased mobility as a pro. The 25-year-old rushed six times for 21 yards and a touchdown in a Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers in addition to completing 27 of 42 passes for 298 yards and another score.

Penix’s prowess as a passer is Flores’ focus for Sunday night, noting the speed at which he gets the ball out of his hands.

Penix averaged 2.56 seconds to throw in Week 1, according to Next Gen Stats. It was the seventh-fastest time in the league with veterans Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers occupying the top three spots.

“This isn’t a situation where we’re gonna blitz him and think we’re gonna just get there,” Flores said Thursday. “He’s elusive, but he’s also smart with the football, gets it out. … He’s a good young quarterback. No doubt about that.”

Vikings wide receiver Justin Jeffersonwill hit 500 career receptions whenever he makes his first reception Sunday night.

He will tie Minneapolis-born, former Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr.as the youngest player in NFL history to reach the mark at 26 years 90 days.

Jefferson could’ve reached the mark last week, needing only five catches to hit it, but he finished the night with just four grabs (albeit a team high) for 44 yards.

Jefferson critiqued his performance against the Bears on Thursday, saying he needed to be better on the details and taking ownership for McCarthy’s interception, having cut off his route two steps early.

He said he did not feel his struggles were related to missing time during training camp because of a hamstring strain.

“I’ve been saying this whole camp that I was the target for J.J. to throw to at anytime and I’m gonna come up with the ball,” Jefferson said. “As long as I touch that ball and I have the opportunity to come up with that ball, those are the plays that I need to come up with.”

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O’Connell told reporters before practice that McCarthy was absent Thursday because he was with his fiancée, Katya Kuropas, at a local hospital, where she was in labor with their first child, a son.

McCarthy was at the facility earlier in the day for meetings and a walkthrough, O’Connell said.

McCarthy and Kuropas announced the pregnancy via a joint Instagram post May 21.

Near the beginning of training camp, McCarthy said he’d spent the summer reading fathering books.

“If you’re seeing this now, congratulations my boy,” Jefferson said at his Thursday afternoon news conference. “I’m excited for [you] with this new chapter, this new journey. But after you get done with that, come on back.”

Center Ryan Kelly (toe), cornerback Jeff Okudah (concussion), tight end Josh Oliver (ankle) and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (concussion) also missed practice Thursday.

Left tackle Christian Darrisaw(knee), receiver and returner Myles Price (knee), cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (elbow), running back Zavier Scott (ankle) and safety Harrison Smith (illness) were listed as limited on the injury report.

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