Falcons Stick With Cooper Rush vs. Panthers as Penix Recovers — SkimNews
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- Cooper Rush is expected to start at quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
- Michael Penix Jr. remains sidelined as he works back from left ACL surgery in November; at Friday's practice Rush took the majority of starter throws while Penix threw only to practice squad receivers.
- Tua Tagovailoa is also unavailable with an oblique injury that surfaced ahead of Week 1, with coach Kevin Stefanski describing him as day-to-day as of Wednesday.
- Rush's Week 1 debut produced a 12-for-22, 143-yard line with one touchdown and two interceptions in a 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his 2.6 QBR ranked last in the NFL.
Why it matters: Penix's absence extends into a second consecutive game, leaving the Falcons in the hands of a quarterback who posted the NFL's worst Week 1 QBR (2.6) — a direct downgrade from the starter they drafted to build around — while the simultaneous Tagovailoa injury (described as day-to-day by Stefanski) leaves Atlanta's depth chart unusually thin heading into a divisional matchup with Carolina.
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