From Newsweek · Jordan Sigler · · 1m 20s
Falcons open the season with a QB problem
Atlanta lost Tua Tagovailoa days before Week 1, and his replacement woke up Saturday with back spasms.
In brief
Atlanta lost Tua Tagovailoa days before Week 1, and his replacement woke up Saturday with back spasms. Atlanta is starting a backup with a bad back in Pittsburgh, and the next man up is an undrafted rookie. Originally reported by Newsweek.
Tua goes down first
Atlanta lost Tua Tagovailoa to a back injury days before the Steelers opener. The Falcons ruled him out on Friday's injury report.
Then the backup's back
Cooper Rush, the man stepping in, had back spasms on Saturday. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the team still plans to start him Sunday in Pittsburgh.
“experienced back spasms Saturday but the team said he still will start Sunday at Pittsburgh”
Penix cleared, not ready
Michael Penix Jr. has medical clearance after his third career ACL tear. The hurdle now is mental, learning to trust the knee again.
An undrafted rookie behind him
Jack Strand is the backup. He joined Atlanta this spring as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State-Moorhead.
Year one of a new system
Rush credits Kevin Stefanski and coordinator Tommy Rees with getting the quarterback room ready. Stefanski says the group is on the same page.
“You spend more time talking about the 'why,' and the intent of the play.”
A hard place to improvise
If Rush cannot run the offense, Atlanta turns to Strand against one of the more veteran defenses in the league.
What it means
Atlanta is starting a backup with a bad back in Pittsburgh, and the next man up is an undrafted rookie.
