Todd Bowles' Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense is gearing up to face young quarterback Michael Penix Jr. on Sunday. Penix started just three games for the Falcons in 2024, going 1-2 during that stretch. The Falcons selected Penix with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft and after he took over the starting signal-caller duties last season, the Falcons ranked sixth with 32 points per game when he stood under center. Like one of his famous predecessors in Atlanta, Michael Vick, Penix is left-handed. Tampa Bay's Yaya Diaby will look to force Penix off his spot and disrupt the second-year player.
"Yeah, me being on his right side, I have to make sure that I am super mindful and careful of how I rush and with the depth and everything, so I am looking forward to the challenge," noted Diaby.
Diaby, who grew up in Riverdale, Georgia and attended North Clayton High School, will have a homecoming of sorts on Sunday with 20 family members in Mercedes-Benz Stadium to cheer him on. The former walk-on at Georgia Military College will aim to make his family proud in the season opener.
"It is always fun going to Atlanta," stated Diaby. "I actually love going against Atlanta because they passed up on me in the draft so at the end of the day, it is always good to go home and go up against those guys and I am super excited for this weekend."
Last season, Diaby led the Bucs with 57 pressures and generated 13 run stuffs (loss or no gain). Diaby was just one of eight edge rushers to record 50-plus pressures and 10-plus run stuffs (Myles Garrett, Jared Verse, Jonathan Greenard, Brian Burns, Greg Rousseau, Will Anderson, Maxx Crosby). Even though his sack tally may not have been flashy, Diaby sped up the process for opposing quarterbacks and wreaked havoc in the backfield. This season, with the acquisition of free agent acquisition Haason Reddick, the pair will be battling for the sack lead in the Bay.
"The guy is hungry and it's just amazing to have somebody like that that is hungry and we are going to be fighting for sacks but at the end of the day, as long as I get mine and he get his, we will be just fine," laughed Diaby.
Atlanta will have to pick their poison and if they double-team one member of the defensive line, it creates one-on-one opportunities for another rusher to get a knockdown. Diaby plays with relentless effort, explosion off the ball and immense power. He is effective on loops/stunts, surging through the A-gap. With force, Diaby has the ability to slant and get small in the hole and the strength to win on bull rushes. He has enhanced his arsenal of moves and will strive to show his bag of tricks against the Falcons in Week One.
