The Atlanta Falcons are still searching for their first win of the 2026 season and will look to get their initial notch in the column on Sunday when they host the Carolina Panthers. When the offense steps onto the field to make that attempt, they'll be led by Cooper Rush. The veteran quarterback is expected to start in the Week 2 contest, according to ESPN. This comes as Rush took the first-team reps during Friday's practice.
There was a bit of a question about whether Rush would be Atlanta's starter yet again or whether Michael Penix Jr. would be healthy enough to go. The 2024 first-round pick is still recovering from his season-ending ACL tear from last year, but has been on the mend as of late. Penix even split first-team reps earlier in the week and had been listed as a full participant on both Wednesday and Thursday. Alas, Penix is still not quite ready to take the reins.
Cooper Rush ATL • QB • #13 CMP%54.5YDs143TD1INT2YD/Att6.5 View Profile Meanwhile, Tua Tagovailoa, who had initially been named the starter to begin the season, continues to be sidelined with an oblique injury. That ailment spurned his opportunity to begin the season as QB1 for Atlanta and thrust Rush into the starting role in Week 1 in the first place.
In the 20-13 defeat against the Steelers in the season opener, Rush left little to be desired. He completed 12-of-22 passes for 143 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. He also took four sacks.
His 51.9 passer rating was the lowest among all starting quarterbacks in the NFL for Week 1, and Atlanta's downfield passing attack was essentially nonexistent with him at the helm. His air yards per pass attempt average in the opener stood at just 3.5 yards. That ranked 31st among quarterbacks in Week 1, only looking down on Bo Nix. Rush's 9.1% turnover-worthy throw rate was tied with Deshaun Watson and Drake Maye for the highest in the league (excluding Kyler Murray, who played just 11 snaps before leaving with a concussion).
That's a long way of saying that the Falcons didn't get top-tier quarterback play by any stretch of the imagination, and it stands to wonder if that'll continue in Week 2 against a division opponent in Carolina, even if their defense did surrender 59 points to the Chicago Bears in Week 1.
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