The Atlanta Falcons have not made any final decisions yet.
The Atlanta Falcons are just over two weeks away from the start of the regular season and there is still one question on everyone's mind when it comes to Week 1.
Just as it was going into the dog days of summer, the biggest looming conundrum is who is going to start at quarterback to begin the season. The impending battle at the position was delayed when Michael Penix Jr. was not fully cleared to start camp, but with Penix back in full this week, folks instantly asked whether or not that meant he would begin the year as QB1.
With the way Tua Tagovailoa has struggled and Penix looking solid in 7 on 7, that was the hope from the fanbase. So when Kevin Stefanski told reporters Wednesday that Penix would not play in Friday's preseason finale, instant panic set in that this meant he would not be ready for the year.
Ultimately, Penix's status for this Friday should not be connected by fans to his status for more than two weeks later.
Penix Can Suit Up, But Falcons Being Cautious
It's important to note that Penix is not being sat because he isn't healthy; he is fully cleared at this point. There is a difference between being fully cleared though and ready for actual game reps, and it sounds like Stefanski is going to let his young quarterback take more live practice reps before throwing him out there in a game.
Right after revealing Penix would not play Friday, Stefanski clarified that no decision has been made for Week 1 and he did not give an exact timeline as to when that decision would be made. Reading between the lines, Atlanta is going to keep evaluating just how ready Penix is not just physically, but also mentally following what was a long offseason of no real reps.
That combined with what Tagovailoa does not only Friday night but also in the next two weeks of practice are going to make the decision. Both guys still have a chance, and Penix's chances right now are a whole lot better than they were a week ago.
Not playing a drive in a meaningless preseason game does not impact that fact one way or the other.
The Falcons are going to continue to bring Penix along cautiously, and if he is indeed ready both health wise and preparation wise, it seems likely he has a very strong chance to be the starter in Week 1 still.
