Tua Tagovailoa’s “shaky performance” in preseason has blown open the Falcons’ starting quarterback job, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski. The coach made it crystal clear yesterday that Atlanta’s entire QB room is still a total question mark, with not one but *two* separate quarterback competitions far from settled. This isn’t just a minor tweak; Stefanski’s comments are a gut-punch for a team that desperately needs some clarity under center.
Penix Jr.’s Health Is the Only Thing Holding Back This Starting Battle
Right now, Tua Tagovailoa is in the “driver’s seat” for the starting gig. Why? Because he is healthy enough to actually get into full-team practices and play in preseason games. But don’t let that fool you. Tua hasn’t been “stealing the show” in recent practices, and he looked straight-up “flustered” against the Broncos. We’re talking about a shaky performance that has Stefanski openly saying the door is still “very much open” for Michael Penix Jr. Penix is working his way back from injury, and that health has been his “chief obstacle” all summer. But you gotta remember, Penix is younger, he’s got more theoretical upside, and he’s under team control for way longer than Tua. If Penix can get healthy and get into game action, Stefanski knows that’s the “best case scenario” for Atlanta. If Penix isn’t ready by Week 1? Yeah, that door might close, but for now, Stefanski is holding it wide open, and Tua’s play is giving him every reason to do so. Tua needs a big week in joint practices to help himself out.
The Fight for QB3 Is a Real Brawl After Rush’s Rough Outing
As if the starting job wasn’t enough drama, the battle for the third quarterback spot is apparently even more “feisty” than anyone expected. Cooper Rush, the veteran with “successful NFL stints,” absolutely melted down against the Broncos. We’re talking “unbelievably poor passes,” including a straight-up pick-six and *another* interception. He looked completely uncomfortable running the offense. You’d think a vet like him would have that spot locked down, but no way. On the other side is Jack Strand, a Division II undrafted free agent who’s playing way “more advanced” than anyone anticipated. Strand wasn’t “impressive” against the Broncos either, but he ripped off “a couple of really nice throws,” scored the game’s lone touchdown on a sneak, and even pulled off another successful sneak later. Now Stefanski is actually “weighing whether to start Rush or Strand” this Saturday against the Colts. It’s wild! Rush has the experience to bounce back, sure, but after that Broncos game, you gotta be interested in seeing what Strand can do with a start.
Neither of these battles is settled, and frankly, the uncertainty is a little unnerving. We probably won’t know the final results until after the third week of preseason. Let’s hope these joint practices this week give Stefanski some much-needed “daylight” on who his quarterbacks actually are.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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