- Michael Penix Jr. is in line to start Thursday at Green Bay, ESPN reported, his first game since November.
- Cooper Rush was benched in the third quarter of Sunday’s 34-3 home loss to Carolina after two interceptions and a lost fumble.
- Penix Jr. projects for 200.5 passing yards on Thursday Night Football.
- The Packers are 7.0-point favorites with questions surrounding Atlanta’s quarterback room.
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Michael Penix Jr. is on track to start Thursday night at Lambeau Field, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported Sunday, which would put the Atlanta Falcons quarterback back on the field roughly 10 months after the torn ACL that sidelined him for the season’s first two weeks. Whle a decision hasn’t been made, Penix Jr. is the only Falcons’ quarterback with passing props for the game.
A Short Week, A Long Wait
Penix, who tore his ACL against Carolina in Week 11 last season, has been a full participant in practice since the season began and split reps with Rush last week before being declared out for Sunday. He was listed out while completing his rehab, not ruled out for what comes next, and Week 3 has been the target for his return since before the season opened.
Rush’s Turn Ends Against Carolina
Rush started for a second straight week and was pulled with the Carolina Panthers up 27-3 in the third quarter of Sunday’s 34-3 loss, completing 10 of 17 passes for 86 yards with two interceptions and losing a fumble on the game’s opening snap. Undrafted rookie Jack Strand relieved him and went 8 of 15 for 59 yards with an interception in his NFL debut. The losses leave Atlanta winless through two games, outscored by a combined 54-16 by Pittsburgh and Carolina.
Green Bay Hasn’t Needed Takeaways
The Packers (1-1) have generated pressure without cashing it in, recording seven sacks against a 64.6% completion rate allowed through two games while intercepting just one pass, a split legal sports betting watchers track closely, since a defense that wins up front without takeaways plays more exploitable than its counting stats suggest. There are +100 odds for Penix to throw an interception in his season debut.
What Comes Next
Atlanta has not named its Week 3 starter, and the short week gives it until Thursday Night Football kickoff at 8:15 p.m. Eastern at Lambeau Field to make its choice official.
