# The Falcons' odd handling of Tua Tagovailoa

> Atlanta hid Tua's strengths all summer, then fixed the offense right as a back injury took him out of Week 1.
- Title: The Falcons' odd handling of Tua Tagovailoa · Newsweek
- Summary: Atlanta hid Tua's strengths all summer, then fixed the offense right as a back injury took him out of Week 1. A quarterback can only look like himself in a…
- Keywords: nfl, falcons, tua tagovailoa, quarterbacks, coaching, Falcons', odd, handling, Tua, Tagovailoa, Newsweek
- Source: Newsweek — https://newsweek.com/sports/nfl/falcons-coaching-staff-made-wild-decision-with-tua-tagovailoa-12435579
- Author: Jordan Sigler
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nfl, falcons, tua tagovailoa, quarterbacks, coaching
## Cooper Rush gets the call
Atlanta starts backup Cooper Rush against Pittsburgh after Tua Tagovailoa hurt his back in practice this week.
## Tua's future is murky
There is chatter the Falcons could cut Tagovailoa the moment Michael Penix Jr. is ready to start.
## Penix has a mental hurdle
Penix is medically cleared but not mentally ready. Per Jonathan Jones of The Athletic, naming Rush the starter is meant to push him to get there faster.
## The scheme finally changed
After the preseason, Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees rebuilt the offense around Tagovailoa's strengths. He looked sharper in the two weeks that followed.
## Why so vanilla for so long
Through camp and preseason the plain play-calling made a former first-round pick look like a backup. Play to his style earlier and the job might have been his.

> making Tagovailoa look more like a backup quarterback than a former first-round pick
## Week 2 is the audition
If Penix is not back when Carolina visits, Tagovailoa could start. Tape in an offense built for him is his best shot at another job in the league.

> Better late than never for Stefanski ad Rees to figure that out.
## Key takeaway

A quarterback can only look like himself in a scheme built for him, and Atlanta figured that out two weeks too late.