Michael Penix Jr. will make his season debut for the Atlanta Falcons tonight, about 10 months after he suffered a torn ACL in Week 11 of last season... and two weeks too late. Atlanta's season has already spiraled out of control.
The Falcons have struggled with third-stringer Cooper Rush at quarterback. They've combined for just 16 points and one touchdown through two games. An 0-2 start in a 17-game season isn't as perilous as it used to be, but of the eight winless teams so far, the Falcons appear one of the least likely to turn things around -- unless Penix can save them. Hopefully, people aren't putting too much stock in that outcome.
☀️ The Morning Win
The Falcons are visiting the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night, another team that's underwhelmed this season.
Which should make for a competitive game. But that's only if the defense plays better than it did Week 2 against the Panthers. In their first game against a team that might actually be good, the Falcons were blown out 34-3.
That's what makes the situation in Atlanta so ripe for Penix to fail. He could play well -- which Kyle Pitts would certainly welcome -- and that still might not be enough to resurrect the team. And though it's reasonable to expect a former first-round pick to perform like one, that part isn't necessarily a guarantee either for someone who still had a lot to prove before the injury. Especially not in his first game back.
Why it's a tough spot
- Penix may not be completely ready. After a quarterback competition with Tua Tagovailoa in the summer, and gaining medical clearance, he appeared on track to be Atlanta's Week 1 starter but delayed his return, saying "I’m not where I want to be right now."
- With multiple knee procedures in the past, Penix likely had mental and physical hurdles he wanted to clear before returning. But after watching Cooper Rush and the rest of the team struggle, it's possible he felt pressure to speed up his timeline.
- This is a new system. This is Penix's first year under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. He'll be trying to gain comfort with his surgically repaired knee while also trying to gain comfort in a new offense.
- He's still basically a rookie. Thursday will only be Penix's 12th career start. That's less than a full season of reps for the 2024 draft pick. On top of all the other things he has to worry about, he's also still in the stage of simply learning how to play in the NFL.
- We don't know how good he actually is. Let's not forget how big a surprise it was when the Falcons drafted Penix eighth overall. The jury is still out on him as a quarterback. He has to prove he can consistently deliver.
The Bottomline
The Falcons need Penix to be good right away. They're 0-2 and the schedule doesn't get any easier after Thursday night. That's an unfair position for someone still gaining their footing in the league to be put in. On the bright side, it's not like the team can be any worse than it already has been.
Could Marvin Harrison Jr. be on the move?
With one catch through two games, Marvin Harrison Jr. has been an afterthought in the Arizona Cardinals offense to begin the 2026 season. Now, NFL executives are wondering about his availability in a potential trade, ESPN's Dan Graziano reported.
It's not yet known whether the Cardinals would actually make Harrison available, but if so, he'd be a fit on several teams, including the two playing tonight, the Falcons and Packers. For more fits, check out Christian D'Andrea's list of potential destinations for Harrison.
NFL Week 3 picks
🇺🇸 Nobody is backing the Patriots in FTW's Week 3 picks against the spread. And surprisingly, in Jameis Winston's first start in place of Jaxson Dart, everybody is backing the Giants.
⛏ When it came to the staff's straight-up picks for Week 3, the Bucs-Vikings game and Broncos-Rams game caused the most division.
🦁 I'm glad everyone (well, mostly) agreed on the Lions over the Jets, because they topped my list of best NFL survivor pool picks for the week.
🐦⬛ No matter how poor the Falcons are playing, you can usually trust one player to come through. Of course, Bijan Robinson made the list of best anytime touchdown scorer picks for Thursday night.
The WNBA season comes to a close tonight
The WNBA regular season ends tonight. There are only five games left on the schedule but still a lot to be decided in terms of seeding. The No. 2 Valkyries and No. 3 Aces can still trade places. As can the No. 5 Fever and No. 6 Mystics. Which is why the below games still matter:
- Chicago Sky at Washington Mystics, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Indiana Fever at Minnesota Lynx, 8 p.m.
- Golden State Valkyries at Los Angeles Sparks, 10 p.m.
- Las Vegas Aces at Phoenix Mercury, 10 p.m.
The first round of the playoffs begin Sunday.
Quick hits: Giants QB options ... the new Mahomes ... and more
- Stephen A. Smith believes Shedeur Sanders could be the Giants' solution at quarterback with Jaxson Dart out for the season. Others have suggested they trade for J.J. McCarthy. John Harbaugh sounds like he's in a bad nightmare.
- Sophie Cunningham wants to be referred to as "Mahomes" from now on after showing off her arm strength with an upper-deck shirt toss.
- Nicolas Cage already deserves an Oscar for his impression of John Madden in the latest trailer for the upcoming movie on the football legend.
- Is it possible one NBA team may actually be penalized worse than the Clippers for a potential salary cap violation? Some are at least raising the possibility.
- Vladimir Guerrero doesn't regret his comments about his hefty Blue Jays contract after what's been a down season for the former ALCS MVP.
This was For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: The Falcons put Michael Penix Jr. in a near-impossible situation
