The Carolina Panthers are hoping to turn their promising offensive output in Week 1 (37 points) into an overall team effort in Week 2.
The Panthers allowed 59 points in a loss to the Bears, but a matchup with the Atlanta Falcons should give them a chance to bounce back.
There’s a big question, though, and it’s one the Falcons don’t appear to have an answer to yet.
Who is Falcons’ QB for Week 2?
The Falcons are in the midst of some quarterback chaos, and it will make preparation tougher for the Panthers.
One possibility is Cooper Rush, the former backup from the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens who signed with the Falcons in late July.
Rush started Week 1 but struggled, and he’s also dealing with a back ailment that was deemed to be back spasms before Week 1.
Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters on Wednesday that Rush isn’t 100% but that he’ll be practicing in full.
Stefanski isn’t naming a starter or specifying anything about first-team reps, so it remains to be seen whether Rush will get a repeat start.
The Falcons also have Tua Tagovailoa, who was slated to start Week 1 before he hurt his oblique last Thursday and was forced to be held out.
Stefanski clarified Wednesday that Tagovailoa won’t practice on the first official practice day of the week, and he also wouldn’t say whether Tua would start if he gets back to health at some point later in the week.
Then there’s Michael Penix Jr., who had a season-ending knee injury last year and is still ramping back up. He’s been cleared to play, but the Falcons are instituting their own level of caution with the former first-round pick, and it’s not obvious whether he’ll get a chance in Week 2.
The Falcons also have undrafted Jack Strand, a rookie from the Division II ranks, who showed preseason promise but is the least likely of the four to start this week.
Good News for Panthers
The good news for the Panthers, in addition to the fact that they aren’t the team dealing with QB chaos, is that none of those guys is Caleb Williams.
The rising superstar had a massive game for the Bears, and he also presents a level of mobility that none of the Falcons’ options have.
Carolina should be able to plan for a quarterback who mostly stays in the pocket.
After a rough game for the Panthers’ defense, that alone should allow for a step forward in terms of productivity for Carolina.
There is a bit of a challenge in not knowing whether to prepare for a lefty or a righty passer, but a lot of defensive principles stay the same, and the Panthers’ game plan can get more specific as the week goes on and more news comes out of Atlanta.
Panthers Don’t Know Who Will Play QB for Falcons in Week 2