Fans of the Atlanta Falcons have every right to be excited about tonight's prime-time game against the Green Bay Packers. Their quarterback performance has been so bad through two games that any change is a welcome one, and we'll finally get to see the guy who has the best chance to be their franchise QB1 of the future retake the field.
While Michael Penix Jr.'s return to the lineup should provide some good storylines, as a practical matter the Falcons are already sunk for the season. Even playing in the atrocious NFC South division, Atlanta's chances of making the playoffs are already miniscule after an 0-2 start to the year.
According to ESPN's latest projections, the Falcons have just a 1.5% chance of making the postseason. Only three teams
have worse odds going into Week 3. Here's Bill Barnwell breaking it down.
"As I said with the Buccaneers, no team is out of it in the NFC South after two games. As bad as they've looked, the Falcons are still one game out of a tie for first place in the division. Last year, the Panthers started 0-2 and still won the division over a Bucs team that opened the season 3-0 and hit its midseason bye at 6-2. There's still some reason to be hopeful about the Falcons, although that could quickly fade if injuries sink the roster in the weeks to come."
It's going to take a long time for the Falcons to be officially mathematically eliminated, but you can go ahead and forget about making the playoffs right now.
The NBA is another story but tanking does not happen in the NFL - and head coach Kevin Stefanski will of course continue trying to win every game he can in Year 1 no matter what the odds say. However, Stefanski needs to be giving priority to developing Atlanta's younger players at the key positions, as well.
Above all else, that means Michael Penix Jr. has to take precedent at quarterback over Tua Tagovailoa and Cooper Rush - and probably Jack Strand, as well as he's the only realistic potential long-term QB1 on the roster right now.
Elsewhere, the Falcons should be giving first-string snaps to rookie receiver Zachariah Branch over Olamide Zaccheaus in the slot, and Avieon Terrell should be No. 1 on the other side at nickel - or possibly at A.J. Terrell's usual spot on the left boundary if C.J. Henderson isn't up to the task.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: ESPN looks at Falcons' playoff chances entering NFL Week 3
