The Falcons are walking into Thursday night with a chance to reset the whole conversation around their season, and it starts with Michael Penix Jr. back under center. Atlanta is 0-2, Green Bay just survived the Jets in overtime, and both teams are trying to grab some early-season traction in a primetime matchup that should tell us a lot about where they stand.
Penix’s return is the headliner. He has not played in nearly a calendar year, and his comeback immediately puts Atlanta’s biggest offensive names back in the spotlight: Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts Sr. The expectation from the FalconsSI staff is clear enough - his presence should give the offense a real lift, even if the first night back is not clean.
That’s the balance here. Penix should bring more rhythm and more flow than Atlanta has shown through the first two weeks, but nobody is pretending he’ll look perfect right away.
He averaged one touchdown pass per game last season and hasn’t faced live defense in 10 months, so there’s reason to expect some rust. Even so, the argument in Atlanta’s favor is simple: the offense cannot look much worse than it has, and Penix gives them a chance to stretch the field instead of living on screens and slants against packed fronts.
The matchup on the other side of the ball is just as important. Atlanta’s defensive line has been one of the early bright spots for this team, and it gets a Packers offensive line that is already in trouble and now will be missing Zach Bako-Bewele, who is out for the season. If the Falcons can get pressure, they can force Jordan Love and Green Bay’s passing game to work harder for everything.
That won’t be easy, though. The Packers still have Love and a capable group of targets in Christian Watson, Tucker Kraft and Matthew Golden.
Atlanta will also be without A.J. Terrell Jr., which makes the task tougher against a passing attack that can still make plays downfield.
The Falcons’ secondary has been leaky at times, and that leaves little margin for error.
Still, this is the kind of game some of the FalconsSI staff sees as a turning point. One view has Penix giving Atlanta enough spark to create a close contest, but with Green Bay’s passing game doing just enough to pull out a win. Another sees a much different script: Penix having time to throw, Bijan Robinson finding room to run, and Drake London finally getting the chance to work with a real quarterback this season.
There’s also the broader feeling that Atlanta needs this one badly after a rough opening two weeks, including one of the worst losses in recent memory. The defense has kept the team afloat as much as it can, but the offense has been a mess. If Penix settles in quickly, the Falcons have a chance to look like a functional team again, at least for a while.
So the prediction split makes sense. Some see Green Bay’s offense doing just enough.
Others see a Falcons team that gets a short-week boost, rides the return of its quarterback, and finally steadies itself. Either way, Thursday night feels like a big one for Atlanta - and a big one for Penix, whose return could finally change the tone around the team.
In Other News...
Falcons Suddenly Head Into Packers Game With A Very Different Look
Thursday night brings a different kind of test for Atlanta as it heads to Green Bay with Michael Penix Jr. set to start for the Falcons. Around the league, injuries are already reshaping Week 3, with quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Jaxson Dart among the players expected to miss games, while teams such as the Colts, Panthers and Saints have also been forced to shuffle their rosters with players landing on injured reserve.
For Atlanta, the challenge is more immediate and a little more local, since the games injury reports have already thinned out the available options on both sides of the ball. With several players listed as out or questionable, the Falcons are headed into a short-week prime-time matchup carrying a very different look than the one they might have expected a few days ago, and how that list settles before kickoff could matter just as much as the quarterback change. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons May Finally Have The QB Depth They Need Vs Packers
The Falcons are getting a little healthier behind center at a time when they could use the insurance. Michael Penix Jr. has been named the starter for the upcoming game, and Kevin Stefanski said Tua Tagovailoa is trending in the right direction to be available as the backup in Week 3 after missing the first two games with an oblique injury. It is a notable shift from the opening stretch, when Cooper Rush filled the backup role.
For Atlanta, the timing matters as much as the depth chart. Having a second quarterback available changes the feel of game day for a team that wants more stability at the position, especially with Penix set to take over under center. The final check on Tagovailoa still matters, but the Falcons are at least moving toward a cleaner setup than they had to start the season. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Are Betting Nick Folk Can Stop A Bigger Problem
The Falcons are sticking with Nick Folk for now, even after the veteran kicker missed field goals in each of the first two games of the 2026 season. Special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman said the focus remains on Folks experience and the basics, with the team preferring to work through the issue by tightening up fundamentals and technique rather than making a change this early.
For Atlanta, the decision is as much about stability as it is about faith in a proven kicker. The next step is giving Folk a chance to settle back into his rhythm as the Falcons turn their attention to the Green Bay Packers, where every point could matter if the kicking game remains in the spotlight. [Read more 🡒]