As of Friday morning, there gave the impression to be a minimum of a probability that first-year Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski may select from one in every of 4 choices to function his beginning quarterback for Atlanta’s dwelling recreation versus the 0-1 Carolina Panthers
this coming Sunday afternoon.
It seems the Falcons’ precise quarterback state of affairs was far much less attention-grabbing than some had hoped.
Track stays the identical for the Falcons’ QB1 state of affairs
On Friday afternoon, insider Ian Rapoport of NFL Community shared that Rush was “taking the first-team reps” and “is anticipated to start out Week 2.” Rapoport added that Penix is “not fairly prepared” to play in opposition to a dwell protection in a significant recreation.
Whereas Tua Tagovailoa had been named the Falcons’ starter forward of Week 1, he suffered an indirect damage on Sept. 10. That problem stored him from taking part in on Sept. 13 and from training on Wednesday and Thursday.
“[Tagovailoa] stays unavailable for Atlanta as he offers with an indirect damage that popped up forward of Week 1,” Rapoport defined.
As for Penix, he’s working to clear bodily and psychological hurdles associated to his ongoing restoration from the surgical procedure he wanted final fall to restore {a partially} torn ACL. This week, Penix revealed that he nonetheless had “some targets” he needed to hit earlier than he may return to the lineup.
A earlier report prompt that Penix will not hit these targets earlier than Atlanta’s Week 3 recreation on the Inexperienced Bay Packers on Sept. 24. Tagovailoa’s standing for that matchup was unclear as of Friday.
Might the Falcons begin an undrafted rookie in Week 3?
Rush was hardly spectacular in Atlanta’s 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers
on Sept. 13, as he went 12-for-22 passing with 143 yards, a landing, two interceptions and a league-worst 5.0 adjusted QBR.
In the meantime, the Falcons even have undrafted rookie Jack Strand of their quarterback room, and he was Atlanta’s major backup in opposition to Pittsburgh. Presumably, Stefanski may take into account giving Strand the nod in opposition to the Packers within the occasion that Rush produces a dud in opposition to the Panthers, and neither Penix nor Tagovailoa can begin in opposition to Inexperienced Bay.
As of Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had Atlanta as a 2.5-point dwelling underdog in opposition to Carolina.
