The Green Bay Packers have had a bit of a rocky start to the 2026 season. Green Bay is 1-1 after a close overtime win over New York in Week 2. Now the Packers face a short week against a beatable opponent. But what are they making about the team's mysterious starting quarterback?
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler explained what the Packers and other rival teams are expecting from the Falcons now that Michael Penix Jr. is back.
“Rival teams that have studied them believe that the return of Michael Penix should settle down the offense a bit. One Packers player I spoke to anticipates Atlanta gets Penix acclimated with some easy completions and by leaning on the running game with Bijan Robinson.”
Penix was named the starter on Monday after recovering from last season's ACL injury. The Falcons have struggled to move the ball on offense. They've even had a hard time getting Bijan Robinson involved on the ground.
The 26-year-old quarterback flashed some promise in 2025. He logged 1,982 passing yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions in nine games last year. Atlanta is hopeful that he'll bring stability, and some higher upside, to their offense.
The Packers should expect the Falcons to enter Week 3 with a sense of urgency. But it remains to be seen how much Penix will improve Atlanta's offense.
“The messaging among Falcons players this week was clear, I'm told: ‘Gotta move on, s— sucks, everyone will be going at you and assuming you're not good enough,' while knowing Thursday night is a quick turnaround in the best way and a chance to redirect the season,” Fowler added.
It will be fascinating to see how Green Bay holds up against a potentially re-energized Atlanta squad. Especially when coming off a short week of practice.
Packers vs. Falcons kicks off at 8:15PM ET on September 24th from Lambeau Field.