The Atlanta Falcons are staring down a Week 1 that could hinge entirely on Tua Tagovailoa, and his final preseason shot in Miami just got a lukewarm reception from fans and an even cooler one from his playbook. If Michael Penix Jr. isn’t ready, the Falcons are going with the guy who got booed by his old stadium crowd and barely threw past the line of scrimmage.
The “OK” Performance That’s Got Coaches Sweating
Tagovailoa’s last preseason performance against the Dolphins, his former team, was… well, it was “OK,” according to the reports. He didn’t even play in the second preseason game, and the opener was rough (3-of-5 for 22 yards). So, this was his big chance to impress. And here’s the deal: he went 7-of-8 for 95 yards in his one quarter of work. Sounds decent, right? But hold up. He took *no chances*. Not a single throw went more than 6 yards downfield. Most of that yardage, a whopping 37 yards, came from a pass *behind* the line of scrimmage to Kyle Pitts Jr., who just turned on the jets. The Falcons did score a touchdown on that drive, which is good. But then, on the very next drive, he fumbled a snap from center, and the Dolphins recovered. Poof, his night was over. That fumble is not gonna sit well with the coaching staff, trust me.
From Pro Bowl to $99.2 Million Headache
It was pure irony that Tua’s make-or-break preseason game was against the team that drafted him fifth overall in 2020. And yeah, the small crowd in Miami let him have it, booing him as he came out. His Dolphins career ended with a thud, remember? After leading the NFL in passing yards and making a Pro Bowl in 2023, and then leading the league in completion percentage in 2024, concussions really hammered his play. His performance had a sharp decline, and Miami cut him this offseason, eating an NFL record $99.2 million dead cap hit spread over two seasons. Now he’s on a one-year deal with Atlanta, trying to restart everything. That’s a lot of baggage for a guy making 6-yard passes.
Week 1: Penix or Panic?
So, here’s the real problem for Atlanta: Michael Penix Jr. is still working his way back from ACL surgery and, while he’s in 11-on-11 drills, his Week 1 status is totally up in the air. The Falcons have to decide if rushing Penix back is even worth the risk. If he’s not available, Tagovailoa is presumably the guy. But honestly, after this preseason, can the Falcons “feel great about their options”? Nope. They’ll need him to “open it up a bit” when the games actually count. There are no more preseason games to get things right. This is it. Week 1 is coming fast.
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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