The Atlanta Falcons’ first injury report of Week 3 brought the headline the team wanted at quarterback and a more troubling note on defense.
Michael Penix Jr. was listed as a full participant Monday as he works through the knee injury that kept him out of the first two games. He is set to make his first start of the 2026 season Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers after Atlanta announced Monday that he will take over as the team’s starting quarterback.
That’s a major step for Penix, who spent the opening stretch recovering from the ACL injury that ended his 2025 season. His full workload Monday lines up with the Falcons’ belief that he’s ready to get back into game action.
Atlanta has badly needed a jolt on offense. Cooper Rush started the first two games, and the unit never found a groove, scoring only 16 points before the 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
There was also movement for Tua Tagovailoa, who was listed as a limited participant with an oblique injury. It’s the first time he has been anything other than a non-participant since the injury in Week 1. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Tagovailoa is “getting better.”
On the positive side for the Falcons, defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. was a full participant while managing an Achilles injury.
A handful of others were limited: defensive end Brandon Dorlus with a thumb injury, tight end Nick Muse with a shoulder injury, running back Brian Robinson Jr. with an ankle injury and offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor with a rib injury.
The biggest concern came on the defensive front and in the secondary. Defensive end Samson Ebukam missed practice with a hamstring injury, and cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. also sat out because of a groin injury.
Terrell’s situation is the one to watch most closely. He’s a key piece of Atlanta’s secondary, and the Falcons are working on a short week with little time to reset before heading to Green Bay.
Monday’s report was only an estimate, since the team held a walkthrough instead of a full practice. Even so, the picture is clear: Penix is trending toward the starting job, while Atlanta has some real defensive names to monitor before Thursday night.
In Other News...
Falcons Captain Had A Blunt Response To Fans Booing Sunday
The mood turned quickly at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday as the Falcons home opener slipped away in a 34-3 loss to the Panthers, and the boos that followed were hard to miss. For a team trying to settle in early at home, it was the kind of afternoon that leaves little room for spin, and linebacker Divine Deablo, one of Atlantas captains, did not try to offer any.
Deablo took accountability for the performance and did not place blame on the crowds reaction, a stance that matched the tone set by fellow captain Jessie Bates III. For the Falcons, the bigger issue was not the noise from the stands but the way the game unraveled, and how quickly their first home chance of the season became a frustration for everyone involved. [Read more 🡒]
Drake London Added More Tension To Atlantas Ugly Loss
The Falcons Week 2 loss to the Panthers was already messy on the field, and it only got more uncomfortable for Atlanta when Drake London got into a verbal exchange with someone in the stands. London later acknowledged that personal comments from the individual triggered his reaction, and he said he regretted how he responded. For a team already trying to sort out an offense that sputtered with veteran Cooper Rush starting before rookie Jack Strand took over, the sideline-to-stands moment was another distraction in a game Atlanta would rather forget.
London remains one of the most important pieces of the Falcons attack, which is why anything pulling attention away from the football matters. The incident added another layer of frustration to an afternoon when the offense never found much rhythm, and it left Atlanta dealing with not just the loss itself but the kind of sideline fallout that can linger after a rough Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Offense Is Becoming An Early Problem Fans Feared
Through two weeks, the Falcons have landed in an unwelcome spot near the bottom of the leagues latest NFL power rankings, sitting 32nd after a start that has only deepened early worries about the offense. The updated list paints Atlanta as a team still searching for answers, with little evidence so far that the unit is close to finding the rhythm fans expected heading into the season.
The concern is less about one rough Sunday than the broader feeling that this could linger if the offense does not quickly stabilize. Miami is only one spot ahead at 31st, which underscores just how shaky the early-season picture looks for both teams, but for Atlanta the bigger issue is whether the problems on offense are becoming a pattern rather than a short-term slump. [Read more 🡒]