The Atlanta Falcons finally got the quarterback update they needed.
On Monday afternoon, the team announced on social media that Michael Penix Jr. will start Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3, giving Atlanta its preferred option back under center after two rough games with Cooper Rush.
“Michael Penix Jr. has been named starting quarterback for Thursday's game,” the Falcons announced on social media.
That news comes after a painful opening stretch in which Rush, the Falcons’ No. 3 quarterback, was forced to start both Weeks 1 and 2. He struggled in each outing, and Jack Strand, the undrafted rookie who drew some attention as a young developmental option, also failed to spark the offense when he got his chance.
Now Atlanta turns back to Penix for a primetime matchup on Thursday Night Football against a Packers team sitting at 1-1.
It’s a significant lift for a Falcons team that was staring at the possibility of another ugly night if Rush or Strand had to go again. Penix may have his own rust to shake off in his first game back, but the standard he has to clear is not exactly towering after the team’s quarterback play through the first two weeks.
At the very least, Atlanta needs him to get the offense into the red zone, something the Falcons’ quarterbacks have not managed so far this season.
Green Bay won’t be a soft landing spot. The Packers have had their own issues moving the ball and could easily have come away with a loss against the New York Jets in Week 2.
Even with the Falcons off to an 0-2 start, the picture in the division isn’t completely bleak. Atlanta is only one win behind the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, which keeps a playoff path alive as Penix returns to the lineup.
After two brutal weeks, the Falcons finally have the announcement they were desperate for.
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