The Green Bay Packers have a quick turnaround in Week 3 as they will host the Atlanta Falcons on “Thursday Night Football.”
In Week 2 the Packers got a 20-17 win over the New York Jets, pulling to 1-1 on the season. Meanwhile, the Falcons are 0-2 and are coming off a 34-3 blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Falcons Announce Michael Penix Jr. Will Start at QB Against Green Bay Packers in Week 3
According to a report from ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Falcons will start Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback in their Week 3 clash against the Packers Thursday night.
Penix has been out of action since Week 11 of the 2025 season, when he partially tore the ACL in his left knee. He was medically cleared for all football activities in late August, but Atlanta didn’t want to rush him back. Penix has a long injury history dating back to his collegiate days, having torn the ACL in his right knee twice.
The Falcons’ offense has struggled mightily this season. It has scored just one touchdown thus far, and benched quarterback Cooper Rush last week against the Panthers. Backup Jack Strand didn’t fare much better when he took over. Also on Atlanta’s roster is Tua Tagovailoa, who has been sidelined with an oblique injury.
Packers’ Defense Has Golden Opportunity Against Falcons’ Offense
Penix is definitely an upgrade over Rush and Strand, but could be rusty in first outing back having not played in 10 months. Penix is also still a relatively unproven commodity with just 12 NFL starts under his belt. He has a poor record of 4-8 in those games.
Penix does a decent job taking care of the ball, owning a career 12-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. However, one touchdown per starts isn’t exactly impressive. His 229 passing yards per game average is also subpar.
The Packers’ defense is coming off an impressive outing against the Jets. It sacked quarterback Geno Smith four times, and held New York to just 67 rushing yards on 27 carries. If Green Bay can get after Penix early, it will be tough for him to find a rhythm. That will be crucial, as the Falcons have plenty of top tier skill players such as Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts.
Packers’ Matchup vs. Falcons Just Got Harder After Latest NFL News