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Falcons to Start Cooper Rush Again Against Panthers
Confirmed
In Short: Atlanta Falcons will start Cooper Rush for the second straight week against the Carolina Panthers.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Friday that third-string quarterback Cooper Rush will start for the second consecutive week against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Rush will lead the Falcons in their home opener, with rookie Jack Strand listed as the backup.
Stefanski said, “Cooper will start. Jack will be the backup.”
Rush struggled in the Falcons' season opener, throwing two interceptions in a 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Despite the poor performance, Stefanski remains optimistic about Rush's potential, stating, “If you take the totality of his work, he's been an efficient quarterback and a guy that I really respect his game.”
Rush completed 12 of 22 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers, but the Falcons' offense was largely reliant on running back Bijan Robinson, who accounted for 173 of the team's 238 total yards.
The Panthers, who were torched for 59 points and 552 total yards by the Chicago Bears in Week 1, present a formidable challenge for the Falcons.
Panthers coach Dave Canales said, “If you take the totality of his work, he's been an efficient quarterback and a guy that I really respect his game.”
Stefanski emphasized the need for improvement, noting, “I’m glad that he’s found success playing in that stadium. I hope it happens again.”
The Falcons are cautious with Tagovailoa, who is recovering from a torn ACL, and rookie quarterback Sam Penix, who is also recovering from a torn ACL and was a full participant in practice this week.
Stefanski said, “We are taking strides each and every day.”
What this adds
The Falcons have named Cooper Rush as their starter for the second straight week, despite his underwhelming performance in Week 1.
Some Falcons fans have expressed frustration with the decision, with one fan saying, “I really don’t want to watch Cooper Rush on my TV again on Sunday.”
Background
The Atlanta Falcons have named backup quarterback Cooper Rush as their Week 1 starter after Tua Tagovailoa suffered an oblique strain during practice.
What's confirmed
- “Cooper will start. Jack will be the backup,” Stefanski said Friday.
- The Atlanta Falcons will start Cooper Rush at quarterback for the second straight week.
- Rush started for the Falcons in Week 1 against the Steelers.
What's still developing
- (Atlanta News First) — The Atlanta Falcons ended another week’s worth of uncertainty on Friday about who will be taking the field at arguably professional football’s most crucial position this Sunday.
- Rush, along with new head coach Kevin Stefanski and new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, could muster little offense besides star running back Bijan Robinson, arguably the team’s best player.
- Rush, who had started in place of an injured Dak Prescott at times for the Dallas Cowboys, had a forgettable showing in Atlanta's opener.
- Should Rush deliver another lackluster showing, the Falcons will hope Penix or Tagovailoa is cleared because otherwise it might be worth considering Strand.
- This may not be a good time to cross paths with the Panthers defense, though, as they'll have a lot of frustration to release on the field.
- Penix officially logged full participation at Falcons practice on Thursday, according to their official injury report.
- Here's what to know about Penix's status ahead of the Falcons' Week 2 game against the Panthers.
- Atlanta has more than a few question marks at quarterback, while Carolina is coming off a disastrous defensive performance when the Panthers visit the Falcons on Sunday.
- The Falcons are sticking with Rush again in Week 2, but there’s a possibility one of Atlanta’s other quarterbacks will be under center when the team visits the Green Bay Packers the following Thursday night.
- Terrell (shoulder) are questionable for the Falcons, who ruled out Penix and cornerback Billy Bowman Jr. (Achilles).
- Two days prior to the Falcons’ 20-13 season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cooper Rush was named the starter after offseason acquisition Tua Tagovailoa was deemed “day-to-day” with an oblique injury.
- Rush delivered the league’s lowest QBR (2.6) in Week 1.