The Atlanta Falcons are just a few weeks away from getting their 2026 season started and will begin the preseason tomorrow night against the Denver Broncos.

For as much as a narrative as the potential quarterback battle was throughout the offseason, it has not really played out that way given Michael Penix Jr. not being cleared yet for full action. Tua Tagovailoa meanwhile has started to make a real impact on the coaching staff and build a level of trust after missing the first few days of training camp himself.

It's not just the coaches though that are getting comfortable, it's Tagovailoa himself. This week, he spoke about the fact that things are starting to come together for the offense, and it has more to do with the way the unit has gelled rather than the way any one player has performed.

"I don't think it's necessarily how good one person or one individual is doing; that's not how I look at it," Tagovailoa told Falcons.com. "It's a culmination of that aspect within the team. How the team is doing. What the run fit is looking like, defensively. What the run fit feels like for us, offensively. And then, in the pass game, is everyone where they need to be when they need to be there within the timing of the play. And then you want to look at protections as well.

"It's my job to get guys the ball. It's my job to be able to handle the motions, be able to handle the checks at the line and put us in really good situations offensively."

In all likelihood, Tagovailoa is not going to be the franchise quarterback for this team who is here much longer than the one-year contract he signed for. With that being said, if Kevin Stefanski and the coaching staff can unlock what helped him be productive a couple years back with the Miami Dolphins, they can compete in the NFC South this season.

Getting Tagovailoa comfortable with his teammates and everyone on the same page would be a huge first step towards making that happen. Though it's taking time as any good thing does, it sounds like things are trending in the right direction.

It remains a mystery what this all means for Penix, but it's tough to deny right now based on the way things are trending that Tagovailoa has the significant edge when it comes to who the Week 1 starter will be.

Should he get in there and produce as well as staying healthy, it will be tough for anyone to take the reigns for him if the team is winning games. As Tagovailoa keeps stacking days, look for his play and the play from those he's getting the ball to improve.