Michael Penix Jr. facing rib testing after exit vs. Ravens: NFC South roundup

There were no games on the NFC South slate yesterday, but it was anything but quiet for a couple of teams. The Atlanta Falcons are monitoring the health of rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., while the Carolina Panthers made changes to their defensive line depth on the practice squad. In the standings, the Falcons (2-3) and Panthers (2-2) remain ahead of the New Orleans Saints (1-4) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-4).

Atlanta Falcons: Penix Jr. to undergo rib testing

Michael Penix Jr. is headed for further evaluation. According to Pro Football Rumors, the Falcons quarterback will undergo testing on a rib injury after being unable to finish Atlanta’s Week 5 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The outlet notes that Penix struggled early in the primetime matchup before settling in and performing better as the game went on, particularly on third downs.

There is no word yet on the severity of the injury or what it might mean for Penix’s availability going forward. At 2-3 in a tightly packed division, the Falcons’ push to stay near the top of the NFC South could hinge on how quickly their young passer can be fully evaluated and, potentially, get back to full strength.

Carolina Panthers: defensive line shuffle on practice squad

Carolina made a pair of depth moves on Tuesday. Per Pro Football Rumors, the Panthers released defensive lineman Anthony Goodlow from their practice squad and signed defensive lineman Keith Cooper in his place. The tweaks come as the Panthers, sitting at 2-2, continue to adjust their defensive front options behind the active roster during the grind of the regular season.

Buccaneers and Saints: quiet news day, standings pressure

There were no notable updates reported yesterday on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or New Orleans Saints. Both clubs remain stuck at 1-4, trailing their division rivals. With the NFC South still wide open and no clear frontrunner, the pressure is already mounting on Tampa Bay and New Orleans to spark a turnaround as the schedule pushes deeper into October.