The Atlanta Falcons finally have a way out of the mess under center, and it comes with Michael Penix Jr. back in the lineup.
After two games of watching Cooper Rush struggle in relief, Atlanta is set to hand the offense back to Penix for Week 3’s TNF matchup against the Green Bay Packers. That alone should change the feel of this unit. The Falcons have been stuck without a red-zone drive through two games, making them the only team in the NFL without one in 2026 and the first since the 2008 Rams to go two games without a red-zone trip.
Rush’s outing in a 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers only made the problem louder. He turned the ball over three times, and Atlanta kept wasting the kind of offensive talent most teams would love to build around. That group starts with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts, all of whom were extended this offseason.
Those deals looked smart before the quarterback situation fell apart, and they look even better now. Robinson, London, and Pitts are all staying in Atlanta for the long haul, with London and Robinson under contract through 2030 and Pitts locked in through 2028. The Falcons kept those pieces in place while the quarterback picture was still murky, and now Penix gets the chance to see what this offense can actually become with real stability at the position.
The bigger point is simple: Atlanta has the offensive infrastructure, but it has been missing the quarterback to unlock it. Penix is back now, and that gives the Falcons a real shot to make the most of those extensions.
The quarterback situation still may not be settled for good. Either Penix or Tua Tagovailoa could get more out of these weapons, but neither is viewed as the locked-in long-term answer. The most likely path still points toward the 2027 NFL Draft, where Atlanta could try to land its franchise quarterback.
Names like Dante Moore, Arch Manning, Darian Mensah, CJ Carr, and Drew Mestemaker are already in the mix. Atlanta is currently on pace to be among the worst teams in the league, which would put it in position to land Moore or Manning, but even if that doesn’t happen, the Falcons should still have a quality option.
And that is the real advantage here. Once Atlanta finds the quarterback, it already has the weapons in place. Robinson, London, and Pitts are all under contract, ready to grow with whoever ends up being the guy.
In Other News...
Falcons QB Mess Just Sparked A Wild Veteran Debate
The quarterback picture in Atlanta has already turned into one of the leagues early talking points this season, with Tua Tagovailoa sidelined by injury and Cooper Rush having a rough opening stretch in the first two games. For a team trying to settle its offense before the schedule gets any tougher, the uncertainty under center has become impossible to ignore.
Robert Griffin III poured fuel on the conversation with a public critique of the situation, then floated a list of veteran free agents he believes could bring some stability, including himself, Cam Newton, Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Tannehill. Griffins name is the one that sent social media into overdrive, even though he has not appeared in a regular-season game since 2020, and the debate now says as much about Atlantas quarterback frustration as it does about any actual reunion talk. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Face A Bigger QB Problem Than Just Cooper Rush
Cooper Rushs two starts have already pushed the Falcons into an uncomfortable spot at quarterback. Since stepping in because of injuries elsewhere on the depth chart, he has managed only one touchdown against four interceptions, and the benching in Week 2 made it clear the team is not getting the kind of control it needs from the position. More than the numbers, the concern is how much the offense has had to shrink around him, with the coaching staff appearing to trim the playbook rather than ask him to do too much.
The bigger issue is what comes next if Atlanta keeps looking for stability under center. Rushs struggles are not just a short-term problem for the Falcons, they may also ripple beyond their own building by changing how teams view veteran quarterbacks with a similar skill set. If Atlanta cannot get cleaner play from the position soon, the conversation will shift from one backup filling in to whether the Falcons have to rethink the entire way theyre managing the quarterback room. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Are Betting Nick Folk Can Stop A Bigger Problem
Nick Folks rough start has not pushed the Falcons into an early change, at least not yet. After two games of the 2026 season, Atlanta is still sticking with the veteran kicker, leaning on the belief that experience and steady work on fundamentals can help him settle back in as the year goes along. Special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman has framed the approach as one of patience, keeping the focus on technique rather than panic.
The timing matters because the Falcons are moving into a game against the Green Bay Packers with a position that can swing close contests still under a microscope. Atlanta is clearly hoping the support structure around Folk can help him regain his rhythm before the misses turn into something harder to manage, and the next few kicks will say plenty about whether that confidence pays off. [Read more 🡒]