The Falcons got a much-needed boost on the injury front before Thursday Night Football, and the timing could hardly be better.
Atlanta’s final report ahead of the trip to face the Green Bay Packers brings back several key pieces, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, right tackle Jawaan Taylor and defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus. Tagovailoa, who has been working back from an oblique injury that kept him out since before Week 1, was not given a game designation and is expected to be available. That gives the Falcons an experienced backup behind Michael Penix Jr., who is set to make his first start of the season.
That matters because Atlanta had been leaning on undrafted rookie Jack Strand as the No. 2 quarterback for the first two weeks. With Penix stepping in and Tagovailoa ready to go, the Falcons have a much steadier setup at the position for a short-week game.
The line got good news, too. Taylor and Dorlus both avoided game designations, clearing them for Thursday’s matchup. For a Falcons team heading into a road game with the usual Thursday-night wear and tear, getting starters back on both sides of the ball is a welcome development.
There is still one injury situation worth watching closely in the secondary. Billy Bowman Jr. is listed as questionable with an Achilles injury, a sign of progress as he continues his return from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered last season.
He has been inactive through the first two weeks, but has been a full participant in practice and is inching back toward game shape. If he’s cleared, Bowman could give Atlanta another option in coverage, and his return could also allow Avieon Terrell to move outside from the nickel role he has handled the past two games, especially with A.J.
Terrell on injured reserve.
Not everything broke Atlanta’s way, though. Defensive end Samson Ebukam has been ruled out with a hamstring injury after leaving Sunday’s game and not returning.
That takes another body off the defensive front for Thursday night and could put even more on the shoulders of depth pieces. Za'Darius Smith has already made a strong impression in a limited role, leading the team with 2.5 sacks, and his workload could grow against Green Bay.
So while Bowman’s status remains up in the air and Ebukam won’t play, the bigger picture is encouraging for Atlanta. Tagovailoa, Taylor and Dorlus are all set to be available as the Falcons turn their focus to their first Thursday Night Football game of the season.
In Other News...
Bijan Robinson Suddenly Has A Rare Falcons Milestone In Reach
Bijan Robinsons name has already become central to the Falcons offense, and now it sits next to a piece of team history that would be unusual even by Atlanta standards. Amid a run of recent NFL milestones around the league, Robinson has given the Falcons something more immediate to watch in Week 3: the possibility of a running back reaching a franchise mark that has been on the books for years.
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Drake Londons Frustration Puts Falcons Quarterback Decision Under A Spotlight
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Michael Penix Jr. looms over the conversation because the pairing has already shown real promise when given time together. In 14 games with Penix, London has piled up 91 catches for 1,286 yards and 9 touchdowns, a track record that makes the quarterback decision feel even more important as Atlanta tries to stabilize its passing game and keep one of its top weapons engaged. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Face An Ugly Reality Entering Packers Matchup
The Falcons head into their Week 3 trip to Green Bay already carrying the kind of concerns that can make a road game feel even longer. The Packers bring the cleaner roster and the steadier quarterback situation, while Atlanta is still trying to find reliable play under center and across the board, two issues that have already shaped the early part of the 2026 season.
For Atlanta, the matchup is less about matching the Packers punch for punch and more about avoiding another lopsided afternoon that deepens the pressure around the team. Green Bay is being forecast to handle this one comfortably, which leaves the Falcons with an ugly reality in front of them and a chance to show some progress in a spot where the margin for error looks thin. [Read more 🡒]