Though the Packers are 1-1 in the 2026 NFL campaign, they’ve barely had reasons to celebrate. The overtime win over the New York Jets was nothing to pop champagne bottles over, and perhaps Jayden Reed’s positive injury update after his scary exit was the only bright note of an otherwise grim, in every sense, afternoon in the Big Apple. As many questions as there are around Green Bay, there are no questions under center, where $220 million Jordan Love will be QB1.

As for the Falcons, they were one of the worst teams in the league with Cooper Rush under center, as both Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa were sidelined with injuries. Perhaps the tide will begin to turn in Week 3. Tagovailoa won’t be starting for the Falcons, but they trust they made the right call giving Penix Jr. the nod. With Penix Jr. back as starting quarterback, perhaps Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts can have fun playing football again.

The game won’t be entirely on the quarterbacks’ hands, though, as both Atlanta and Green Bay’s running back depth charts will vie to leave their mark.

Backup QBs for Week 3 between Packers and Falcons

Carrying such an injury-prone quarterback into the 2026 NFL season, head coach Kevin Stefanski and the Falcons must keep their heads on a swivel. In Week 3 at Lambeau, the Falcons will go from having virtually no quarterback to having both starting candidates back healthy.

Penix Jr. will get the starting nod, but Tagovailoa, coming off a back injury, will be the backup quarterback, ready to fill in if need be. Needless to say, playing a nighttime game in Wisconsin, even if it’s not that cold yet, isn’t exactly Tua’s bread and butter.

As for the Packers, Love will have a reliable veteran solution serving as his backup in case of an emergency in the form of Tyrod Taylor. The Cheeseheads are the eighth team Taylor has played for in the NFL.

Emergency quarterback

Kevin Stefanski and Matt LaFleur will employ different strategies when it comes to the third, emergency quarterback. While the Packers are rocking with a two-man QB room on the active roster, the Falcons actually have four active signal-callers.

On Thursday night, Stefanski had to decide who would be ruled inactive and who would serve as Atlanta’s third, emergency QB between Cooper Rush and Jack Strand. In the end, Stefanski didn’t steer away from the depth chart and named Rush the emergency quarterback.

As the emergency quarterback, Rush can only take the field if something happens to both Penix Jr. and Tagovailoa. Green Bay, with no third-stringer, will have to improvise should it lose Love and Taylor on the same night.

Key takeaways

• Michael Penix Jr. will make his season debut as starting quarterback for Atlanta.
• The Packers will start $220 million quarterback Jordan Love for their home opener.
• Veteran backup Tua Tagovailoa returns from a back injury to Atlanta’s bench.

The long-awaited return comes after Penix spent much of the past year recovering from a torn ACL suffered during the 2025 season. His rehabilitation kept him out of Atlanta’s plans to begin the 2026 campaign, but he is now ready to take over the offense.

The Falcons entered the season expecting Tua Tagovailoa to lead the team at quarterback. However, Tagovailoa also suffered an injury, forcing Atlanta to turn to Cooper Rush. The results have been difficult, with the Falcons opening the season 0-2 and now making a significant change under new head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Who will be starting quarterback for Falcons vs Packers?

Michael Penix Jr. has officially been named the Falcons’ starting quarterback for Thursday night’s game against the Packers. The decision marks an important moment for the former first-round pick after a long road back from his ACL injury.

For Atlanta fans, seeing Penix back under center has been one of the most anticipated developments of the young season. The Falcons are hoping his return can provide a spark to an offense that has struggled during the team’s 0-2 start.

The game is also an important moment for Stefanski, who is beginning his tenure as Atlanta’s head coach while trying to find the right direction for the offense. With Penix now officially back as the starter, the Falcons will have an opportunity to see what their young quarterback can do after completing his lengthy recovery and finally getting another chance to lead the team.

During their most recent practice, Tua suffered an oblique injury, which ruled him out for the Falcons’ season opener. Penix Jr., who is competing for a bigger QB1 role, is still recovering from a knee injury and will ultimately be unavailable as well.

That puts the spotlight on the least expected protagonist. Who are we talking about? Cooper Rush will be the one calling the shots for a team looking to make its way back into the NFC South spotlight.

When will Tagovailoa and Penix Jr. return to the field?

Both quarterbacks find themselves in an unusual situation, with neither of them available for their team’s season opener. Still, there is optimism within the Falcons’ facilities that both Tagovailoa and Penix Jr. could be available for Week 2.

Kevin Stefanski’s team will play its second game of the season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where they will host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, September 20, in a key divisional matchup for both teams.

An unexpected backup for the Falcons’ season opener

The injuries immediately forced the Falcons’ coaching staff to reshuffle the depth chart and quickly designate an emergency backup for Cooper Rush. As a result, undrafted free agent Jack Strand will be on the sideline and available as the primary alternative should he be needed.

“Everything we do around this building is competing,” Stefanski said in his press conference. “I know it’s easy to say, ‘position battles,’ and those types of things, but we’re constantly competing. That’s not the focus for our guys. Our guys are pushing each other by showing up and putting in the work.”

The coach is also encouraged by Penix Jr.’s progress during the preseason. “[T]he new part for Mike is just being in there in with a full offensive line, a full defensive line, but he’s been in walkthrough huddles, he’s been in 7-on-7, he’s obviously gone through individuals. So, this is a good — now that Mike is cleared — it’s good that he can start that process of getting back to 11-on-11.”

More options in the Falcons’ QB room

During the Falcons’ latest 34-6 win over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium, Jack Strand was one of the biggest standouts. Despite his strong performance, Stefanski said his role will ultimately be determined between the backup and third-string positions depending on the circumstances.

“At this point, Jack’s going to work with the twos and threes, but very excited about his development,” Stefanski said. “But it goes back to the earlier point of like all of our young players, we have a plan to bring them along and develop them. And the player development is a huge part of what we do, whether you’re talking about quarterback position, the linebacker position, nose tackle, I don’t care. Player development is important to us and being intentional about how we bring players along is important to us.”

Another test for Atlanta

Like most NFL teams, the Atlanta Falcons have three games on their preseason schedule. They opened with a 27-7 home loss to the Denver Broncos before bouncing back on the road against the Indianapolis Colts.

Atlanta’s third and final preseason test will interestingly take Tua Tagovailoa back to South Florida. On Friday, August 28, Kevin Stefanski’s team will face the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in the final preseason game for both teams.

A tough start to the season for the Falcons

Penix Jr. or Tagovailoa, whoever ends up being the starter for the Falcons this season, knows it won’t be easy. High-risk road trips and key divisional matchups await this team during the opening stretch of the campaign.

• at Pittsburgh Steelers, September 13 – Week 1
• vs Carolina Panthers, September 20 – Week 2
• at Green Bay Packers, September 24 – Week 3
• at New Orleans Saints, October 5 – Week 4
• vs Baltimore Ravens, October 11 – Week 5

“Nothing too serious, just a caution kind of thing where we’re not rushing it. It was just a flare-up, nothing big, not anything long-term. We’ll be fine,” Tagovailoa said on NFL Network.

After his stint with the Miami Dolphins, where his final seasons were marked by concussions and inconsistent performances, Tua is looking for a fresh start this time with the Falcons. It will not be an easy task, as he will face strong competition from Michael Penix Jr.

The competition with Penix Jr.

Kevin Stefanski was appointed by the Falcons’ front office as their new head coach, and his main task right now is deciding whether Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. will be the starter in Week 1. Both quarterbacks are dealing with different injuries and are trying to catch their new HC’s attention during the 2026 training camp, while maintaining a healthy internal competition.

“I view it as a competition. I understand he can’t take some team reps right now because of what he’s going through, but he’s still being able to compete in seven-on-seven, he’s still able to go through some plays,” Tagovailoa said. “It’s definitely a competition.”

What injuries do Tagovailoa and Penix Jr. have?

Michael Penix Jr. is in the final stages of his recovery from a torn ACL suffered in November 2025, remaining limited in 11-on-11 drills while working toward full medical clearance. Meanwhile, Tua Tagovailoa has been held back early in camp as a precaution due to a minor lower back tightness/sprain, though he is expected to return to full practice shortly.

The Falcons’ season opener

The Falcons want to become the competitive team they were not long ago, the one that reached a Super Bowl, and to achieve that, they will need to get off to a strong start to establish themselves as contenders in the NFC.

• Week 1, at Pittsburgh Steelers – September 13
• Week 2, vs Carolina Panthers – September 20
• Week 3, at Green Bay Packers – September 24
• Week 4, at New Orleans Saints – October 5
• Week 5, vs Baltimore Ravens – October 11

This offseason, when the Miami Dolphins released Tua Tagovailoa, the Falcons moved quickly to secure the veteran quarterback. However, his status as the definitive starter is far from guaranteed.

The Falcons still have Michael Penix Jr. on their roster. He is currently recovering from his third ACL tear, and according to Kevin Stefanski, he is making strong strides to compete for the starting job in Week 1.

“You’ll see today. Mike’s been doing a very good job, like I’ve told you guys since the beginning,” Stefanski said. “His main focus is getting healthy, and he’s doing that. With that, he’s able to do more and more football at the direction of our medical staff, so we’ve been working hand in hand with what that looks like. So, you’ll see Mike out there in individual, you’ll see him in the 7-on-7s. He is not doing team periods yet, but that time is coming.”

Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr.: Who will start in Week 1?

When the Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. in 2024, there were major concerns surrounding his durability. He had already torn his ACL twice in college, which is why many doubted whether he could remain healthy during his NFL career.

Unfortunately, those concerns have proven valid. Penix Jr. has struggled to stay on the field, suffering multiple knee injuries so far. According to DraftSharks, he carries a 20% chance of injury in 2026, which is certainly not the ideal scenario for Atlanta.

However, the other option Stefanski has for his offense has also struggled with durability. Tagovailoa has suffered several high-profile concussions during his NFL career, and he hopes to change that narrative during his new chapter in Atlanta.

As of today, Tagovailoa seems to be the frontrunner based purely on his experience. Nevertheless, if Penix Jr. delivers a solid performance during offseason workouts, he could win this tight race and start in Week 1 over the former Dolphins playmaker.

Who is the QB3 for the Falcons?

Falcons fans are understandably anxious about the quarterback room they currently have. The battle between Penix Jr. and Tagovailoa seems to depend entirely on whoever can manage to stay healthy, and unfortunately, their injury histories provide very little security for the team.

With neither Penix Jr. nor Tagovailoa providing guaranteed stability due to their medical backgrounds, fans are wondering who the QB3 on the roster is. Veteran Trevor Siemian is currently sitting behind them, ready to step in whenever the club needs him.

In any case, according to insider Will Fadden, the coach stated that Penix is “right where he needs to be” in his recovery. This is extremely positive for the team.

At a time when teams are starting to reveal their first moves, the battle for the QB1 spot in Atlanta is still uncertain. So far, everything indicates that Tua might be the starter, although there is still plenty of time before the season begins.

What injury did Penix Jr. suffer?

Michael Penix Jr. is currently recovering from a partially torn ACL in his left knee suffered during Week 11 of the 2025 NFL season against the Carolina Panthers. This latest injury is particularly significant because it is the third ACL tear of his career and his first major injury at the professional level.

Bijan Robinson is ready for his QBs

Even amid the uncertainty about who will start as the Falcons’ quarterback, the rest of the players must adapt quickly. Bijan Robinson made it clear that he will give his all for his team.

“Like I say every year, I am just trying to be better than the last year, in all aspects of my game,” Robinson said via the team’s website. “My leadership, my faith, everything, who I am as a person. I am just trying to be a lot better than I was the year before, even when it comes to my goals on the field, off the field.”

Falcons are already thinking about the Draft

Kevin Stefanski’s Falcons will be absent from the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft due to a major trade made during the previous year’s event. In a move to bolster their pass rush, the front office traded their 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for the opportunity to move up and select edge rusher James Pearce Jr.

This gamble has left the team with limited draft capital this year, forcing the Falcons current management make an aggressive strategy to navigate the roster-building process without a Day 1 selection:

• 2nd round: Pick 48
• 3rd round: Pick 79
• 4th round: Pick 122
• 6th round: Pick 215
• 7th round: Pick 231

Cunningham said, via the team’s website, “For Tua coming in here, he knows he’s coming in here to compete, like Michael knows he is coming in to compete, everybody quite frankly, not just those two at the quarterback position.”

He also revealed that no one is safe. “There are no starters right now,” Cunningham said. The Falcons GM said that, before bringing in Tagovailoa, they spoke to Penix to not blindside him.

Penix and Tua will be one of the more intriguing QB battles this offseason

Both are lefties, both have injuries to care about and have doubts over them. However, the Falcons are hoping that they sharpen each other and at least one evolves into the franchise quarterback this team clearly needs.

The fact is both have some flaws in his game. The fact is both still have upside, though the benefit of the doubt is not something any of these NFL two signal-callers have in abundance. It’s an intriguing thing and eyeballs will be on the Falcons until they give a final decision.

Tua and Penix both will have good weapons to work with

Having three first rounders as weapons is great for any quarterback. Drake London will be the wide receiver one, Kyle Pitts the tight end, and Bijan Robinson the running back. Not only are the three first rounders, but elite talents at their respective positions.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Falcons will franchise tag tight end Kyle Pitts. He will earn $15 million guaranteed. Pitts was seen as a generational talent and had a Pro Bowl season in 2021, his rookie year. After that, his output hasn’t been able to be regular and fell drastically.

However, it seems like new head coach Kevin Stefanski will like to keep him, as 2025 was Pitts’ second-best year. Per Rapoport, the hope is to get a long-term deal done. The two sides have until July to reach a new agreement.

Pitts 2025 season might have saved his Falcons career

From 2022 to 2024, Pitts had 356, 667, and 602 yards. In 2025, Pitts had 928 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. That was key for the Falcons not to lose faith in Pitts. Now, he might have earned a future long-term deal. While Michael Penix Jr. is not clarified on his status, Pitts is.

Pitts also had a career-high in catches with 88. With only 25 years of age, the fact is Pitts has still room to grow and develop even more. He is only entering his prime. The talent is there, and the Falcons will try to unlock that potential once more.

Stefanski has worked wonders with tight ends

During his Browns days, Stefanski had a tight end-heavy scheme, using 12 personnel (2 TEs) and 13 personnel (3 TEs) more than almost any other coach in the NFL. Stefanski loves his tight ends, and he could be the one that puts Pitts as an elite tight end in the league.

Under Stefanski, Harrison Bryant had 89 receptions for 791 yards, and 10 touchdowns in three years. Austin Hooper had 84 catches for 780 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons. David Njoku racked up 291 receptions for 2,996 yards and 25 touchdowns from 2020-2025, and lastly, rookie tight end Harold Fannin had 72 catches for 731 yards and six touchdowns. Hence, Pitts should be excited to be playing for Stefanski.

Despite the reports that the Falcons will release Kirk Cousins, that doesn’t mean Michael Penix Jr. will just be handed the QB1 role of the Falcons. Per Ryan, “Quarterback’s obviously very important and we’re excited about Mike and what he’s doing with his rehab. I’ve been up at the facility the last three weeks, and Michael’s been in there attacking that and he’s in a good space right now, so we’re excited about where he is at. But certainly, a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster.”

So, what at first looked like an endorsement from Ryan, then ended with a concerning quote. While Penix was a first-round pick two years ago, he hasn’t been able to live up to the hype, and then suffered a gruesome knee injury.

Stefanski has always worked with QBs under duress

Stefanski went from Baker Mayfield to Deshaun Watson to Shedeur Sanders, among many other quarterbacks, during his time as HC of the Browns. Hence, he knows how to make the most of not great quarterbacks. He got Deshaun Watson post his prime, and Baker Mayfield before his prime. Still, he had the Browns in the playoffs twice, and won Coach of the Year twice despite all of that.

Therefore, it’s likely Stefanski would try to work with Penix. However, given Penix’s injury history, one might assume the Falcons would try to get someone to compete with him, or be able to carry the team if Penix can’t regain either his fitness or his form.

The Falcons have the talent to become a big-time offense

The Falcons have four skill players drafted in the first round in Penix, wide receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts, and running back Bijan Robinson. London, Pitts, and Robinson are regarded as generational talents, and the offensive line is also good. Hence, there is no reason why this team has struggled that much.

Stefanski loves a scheme where he commands a wide-zone running game with heavy play-action usage. He developed that under Gary Kubiak and is also influenced by the Shanahan’s. This scheme actually should help the Falcons players to maximize their output.

This will be Kirk Cousins’ second start since he became the team’s starting quarterback following Michael Penix Jr.’s season-ending knee injury. It was noticed that Cousins spent more time under center against New Orleans than Penix did.

The veteran went 16 of 23 for 199 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Head coach Raheem Morris agreed that Cousins felt more comfortable playing under center than Penix.

“There’s no question about it,” Morris answered. “Kirk is, that’s what he’s been throughout his whole career. Obviously, when he came off the injury last year, he felt a little bit more comfortable in the pistol.”

Zac Robinson defends use of pistol formation with Michael Penix Jr.

The debate about why the Falcons use two systems for their quarterbacks has been hot this week. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson defended his decision to use the pistol formation for Penix.

“100%. Yeah, that’s very fair to say. I mean, I know it’s a popular kind of narrative to say those things,” Robinson answered when asked if the formations were quarterback-driven. “But, Mike is – I think he’s like third or fourth in the league in yards per attempt, and almost all of his are in the pistol in terms of play pass. So, we’ve had better play pass this year. We’ve had better protection. That’s helped out. We’ve had better route distribution, scheming, all those things that factor into it.”

Atlanta has endured tough moments in 2025. They can still turn things around, but the lack of consistency appears to be their biggest opponent this year.