Falcons say no updates on starting QB entering Week 2

FLOWERY BRANCH — Fresh off a season-opening 20-13 loss to the Steelers on Sunday, the Falcons begin Week 2 with no clarity on their quarterback situation for their looming bout with the Panthers.

“I don’t have any updates on that today,” Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Monday when asked if he’d received clarity on the health of his quarterbacks.

Stefanski said there’s no specific date on the timeline for the Falcons to name their Week 2 starting quarterback.

“I need to get through today before we can really make that determination,” he said.

The Falcons started veteran Cooper Rush under center against the Steelers while Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) and Michael Penix Jr. (knee) were inactive.

On Sept. 7, Penix said he was “really close” to being ready to return. He’s been physically cleared but still has mental, trust-related hurdles to clear after tearing his ACL last November. Tagovailoa suffered his oblique injury in practice Sept. 10 and is considered day-to-day.

That leaves the Falcons in wait-and-see mode with their quarterbacks.

“I hope to have more clarity on all of our positions later today and the next few days,” Stefanski said.

Rush, the team’s third-string quarterback when all are healthy, went 12-for-22 passing for 143 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, including a 35-yard pick-six to Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt. Undrafted rookie Jack Strand served as the team’s backup and figures to keep the role if Tagovailoa and Penix can’t play.

Stefanski said he felt Rush “battled” through a turbulent afternoon.

“Obviously, you want the turnovers back,” Stefanski said. “You have to give credit to the Steelers as well on those plays. So, those are things we can learn from, all of us can learn from those plays.”

The Falcons’ coaching staff held discussions Monday about ways to improve and help put Rush in better situations.

“I think that’s our job as coaches,” Stefanski said. “We want to help all of our guys, whether you’re playing quarterback or any position on our team. So, ways to give you easy completions, ways to run the football, ways to score points any which way — that’s a constant thing we’re looking at.

“But that’s not unique to that game at all. There’s things that we feel like we can do better.”

The Falcons rushed for 120 yards on 31 carries, but five offensive penalties — all by linemen — put the unit behind the chains and a 3-for-13 conversion rate on third down contributed to the offense’s subpar day.