The Falcons finally have their quarterback answer for Week 3.
Michael Penix Jr. has been named Atlanta’s starter for Thursday night’s matchup with the Green Bay Packers, a notable development after he sat out the first two games while recovering from a torn ACL. The move gives the Falcons a different look under center as they try to get their season moving in the right direction.
That change also showed up immediately in the betting market. DraftKings shifted Atlanta from a seven-point underdog to a six-point underdog once Penix was announced as the starter. Green Bay is still favored to take its home opener, but the adjustment says plenty about how much better the Falcons’ chances look with Penix compared with Cooper Rush or Jack Strand.
Atlanta’s offense has had a rough opening to the year. Rush started the first two games, and after he was benched in Week 2, Strand came in and turned the ball over twice. Through two weeks, the Falcons own the worst EPA/Play on offense in the NFL.
Penix at least gives them a cleaner path forward. Last season, he started nine games for Atlanta and went 3-6 in those outings.
He completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine scores and three picks. With Tua Tagovailoa sidelined for the first two games because of an oblique injury, the source also notes that Penix may be the best quarterback Atlanta has available.
Even with the rocky start, Thursday offers a chance to change the tone around the team. The Falcons are still a long shot to reach the playoffs or win the Super Bowl, but a road upset over the Packers would start to alter the conversation. And in a weak NFC South, Atlanta is far from buried this early in the season.
The biggest question now is simple: how will Penix look in his first game action since going down in Week 11 last season?
In Other News...
Falcons Loss Got Even Worse With One Panthers Hit Now Under Scrutiny
The Falcons 34-3 loss to Carolina already had plenty of ugly moments, but one late sequence added another layer to an afternoon Atlanta would rather forget. Bryce Young carved up the defense for 287 yards and three touchdowns, while Devin Lloyd helped swing the game with two interceptions, a sack and a pick-six, leaving Atlanta buried long before the final whistle.
Trevis Gipson Sr. then drew attention late in the game when he landed on a downed Falcons player, a play that could come under NFL review for possible discipline. Even in a lopsided result, those are the kinds of moments that can linger after the game film is done, and Atlanta may end up hearing more about the hit than it wanted after a rough day on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Fans Have Another Reason To Be Furious About Panthers Loss
The Falcons already had plenty to stew over after a 34-3 loss to the Panthers, a game in which Bryce Young carved up Atlanta for 287 yards and three touchdowns. Devin Lloyd also made life miserable with two interceptions, a sack and a pick-six, leaving the Falcons staring at a lopsided result and another rough day against a division rival.
Then came a late-third-quarter moment that only added to the frustration. Panthers defender Trevis Gipson Sr. came down on a pile with a wrestling-style elbow after the whistle, a sequence that could draw NFL review for possible discipline and gives Atlanta fans one more reason to focus on everything that went wrong in the defeat. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Fans Are Stuck With A Primetime Stretch Nobody Wanted
The NFLs Week 3 primetime slate has put Atlanta in a spot few Falcons fans wanted, with the team landing in all three night games on a schedule that has already become a social-media irritant. For a fan base that would rather see the calendar spread out a little more evenly, the timing has only added to the frustration around how the league office handles marquee windows.
The problem for anyone hoping for a quick fix is that the NFLs flex rules leave little room to maneuver this early in the season. Sunday night games cannot be adjusted before Week 5, while Monday and Thursday night matchups are locked in until Week 12 or later, which means the Week 3 primetime lineup is staying put despite the complaints. [Read more 🡒]