The Falcons’ quarterback picture remains murky, and Week 1 only sharpened the uncertainty.
With veteran Cooper Rush battling back spasms and starting against the Steelers, Atlanta got the short version of what life looks like when the offense is stretched thin. Rush threw two interceptions, one of them taken back for a touchdown, and the Falcons never found much rhythm outside of RB Bijan Robinson. Drake London finished with just two catches for 29 yards on four targets, and Kyle Pitts did not haul in his lone target.
Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski said the plan is to keep feeding Robinson while demanding more from everyone else around him.
“Bijan is a great player. We are going to continue leaning on him, but we have to find ways to get all of our guys touches,” Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski said via the Athletic’s Josh Kendall. “That definitely is going to be a focus of ours.”
The offensive line took its share of the blame in the box score, surrendering four sacks and drawing five holding penalties, with C Ryan Neuzil the only starter not flagged. Even so, Stefanski pushed back on the idea that the front alone was responsible for the collapse.
“It’s not just the offensive line’s job to protect,” Stefanski said. “It’s wide receivers getting open, being great with your chips, ball coming out when the ball is supposed to come out.
It’s not fair to just point to the offensive line when it comes to that. You give (Pittsburgh) credit, but there are definitely things we could have done better.”
Stefanski also said he never seriously considered turning to UDFA rookie QB Jack Strand.
Rush, for his part, framed the start as a milestone even if the result fell well short.
“It was a cool moment for me personally… Wish I would have played better.” (Tori McElhaney)
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport added that “it’s pretty clear” the Falcons would like QB Michael Penix Jr. to be the starter once he’s healthy enough to go. Rapoport said Atlanta originally believed Penix might return before missing four games, but suggested that confidence has faded.
For now, there’s also the possibility that Tua Tagovailoa remains out another week because of an oblique injury, which can affect throwing. If Tagovailoa can’t play, Rush would be in line to start again.
Elsewhere in the NFC South, Panthers HC Dave Canales had a blunt read on Carolina’s 59-37 loss to the Bears.
Canales said he was “very disappointed” after the game and pointed directly at the turnovers.
“17 points off turnovers doesn’t equal 59 points.” (Alex Zietlow)
He also stood behind DC Ejiro Evero’s scheme despite the defense getting lit up for 59 points.
“I like our system, I like our scheme. I’ve seen this scheme work at a high level and I’ve seen us work in this scheme at a high level, and we need to find that week in and week out… All of us are disappointed with how it played out but this is the work we have.” (Joe Person)
There were a couple of injury notes out of Carolina as well. WR Jalen Coker was wearing a boot on his left foot in the locker room Monday after what he described as a rolled ankle in the first quarter of Week 1, though he does not expect to miss time and said the boot is precautionary. DT Bobby Brown said he is dealing with a bulging disc in his back after exiting the game twice.
In Other News...
Falcons Suddenly Have A Backfield Depth Problem They Created
The Falcons running back room took an unexpected hit this week when the Cowboys signed Tyler Goodson off Atlantas practice squad and onto their active 53-man roster after losing Malik Davis to injury. Goodson had been waived by Atlanta after a strong preseason, a move that left the team thin behind its top backs and opened the door for another club to swoop in.
Now Atlanta is left with rookie Cash Jones as its only running back on the practice squad, and the front office may need to move quickly to restore some depth. Goodson had been in position to compete for a role behind Javonte Williams and Emari Demercado in Dallas, but the more immediate concern for the Falcons is the self-inflicted vacancy they now have to patch before it becomes a bigger issue. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Pitts Is Already Putting Falcons Quarterback Problem Under Pressure
Kyle Pitts new deal made it clear the Falcons still view him as one of the central pieces of the offense, but the season opener offered a reminder that his production is still tied closely to who is throwing him the ball. In the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pitts was targeted only once and did not record a reception while Cooper Rush handled the start at quarterback, a quiet night for a player Atlanta is counting on much more heavily.
The larger issue for the Falcons is less about Pitts himself than the uncertainty around the quarterback room. Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa are both dealing with injuries and are expected back soon, and Pitts early line only underscores how much the offense needs stability under center. Until that settles, the Falcons may keep feeling the strain of trying to make a top weapon work through an unsettled passing game. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Already Face An Early Cam Ward Concern
The first week of the 2026 NFL season did not exactly settle much for the teams still circling the quarterback conversation, and Atlanta is among the ones still feeling the ripple effects. The Falcons entered the year with an uncertain setup under center, as Cooper Rush and Michael Penix Jr. both sit inside a broader picture that leaves the position looking anything but finalized.
That matters because the early struggles around the league can quickly push teams toward bigger decisions, and the 2027 draft is already part of that conversation for several quarterback-needy clubs. Atlanta is in that mix with a group that also includes Cleveland, Miami and Tennessee, where Cam Ward is one name to watch if the Titans decide their current path needs another turn, though nothing in this stage makes any of those outcomes certain. [Read more 🡒]