Michael Penix Jr. is officially back under center for the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3, and man, what a rollercoaster that squad has already been on. Sitting at a brutal 0-2, the Falcons announced Monday that Penix will take the reins for their upcoming Thursday night showdown against the Green Bay Packers, marking a huge moment for a team desperate for a spark. This move comes after Penix missed the first two games of the season, still recovering from a torn ACL he sustained last November.
The Cooper Rush Disaster Class
Before Penix’s return, it was Cooper Rush running the show for the first two weeks, primarily because Tua Tagovailoa went down with an oblique injury right before the season started. And let’s be real, Rush absolutely fumbled the bag in those starts. He completed a dismal 56.4 percent of his passes, tossed just one measly touchdown, and threw a league-leading four interceptions. Yikes! That’s not the kind of production you want from your starter. The coaching staff basically pulled the plug on the “Rush era” during their Week 2 blowout, a soul-crushing 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Rookie Jack Strand came in during the third quarter, and if you thought it couldn’t get worse, his first ever NFL pass attempt was a pick-six. Talk about a brutal welcome to the league and a clear sign that the Falcons’ offense was in shambles.
Penix’s Path Back to the Field
Now, about Penix’s journey back to the gridiron. This isn’t just any comeback, right? This Week 3 start will be his first NFL action since that torn ACL last November, which marked his THIRD ACL surgery since his college days. Seriously, my knees hurt just thinking about that kind of brutal luck for any player, let alone a young quarterback trying to establish himself in the league. Before that season-ending injury, Penix was actually having a pretty solid, if not spectacular, second year. He even managed to beat out veteran Kirk Cousins for the starting gig, throwing nine touchdowns against three interceptions in nine starts. That’s a decent run! Despite making full practice in both Week 1 and Week 2, the team played it cautious, holding him out. But now, with the Falcons drowning at 0-2 and their season teetering, they’re throwing him right into the fire, hoping he can be the savior.
This ain’t gonna be an easy return, either. Penix is stepping onto the field on a short week, facing a Green Bay team that just pulled off a big overtime win against the New York Jets. Expectations are probably rock bottom, considering his significant injury history and how absolutely futile the Falcons’ offense has looked so far this season. If Penix can just make that offense look like a professional football team in his first start back? That would be a massive, massive step toward salvaging what’s already been a nightmare start to the year for the Falcons faithful. So, all eyes on Thursday night. Can Penix defy the odds and give the Falcons a much-needed shot in the arm? Or will the injury bug and offensive woes continue to plague them? We’ll find out when he laces ’em up.
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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