Falcons to start Michael Penix Jr. at Green Bay; Tua Tagovailoa will back up

The Atlanta Falcons will start Michael Penix Jr. under center for Thursday night's game at Green Bay, with Tua Tagovailoa listed as the backup.

It marks the third starting quarterback in three games for the Falcons, still winless at 0-2 as the offense searches for traction. Penix makes his return from last season's ACL tear, and the team has been careful about his workload in the weeks leading up to this decision.

Tagovailoa, who has been working back to full participation after a Week 1 oblique injury, is the safety valve behind him. Rapoport framed the move as the payoff of the club's quarterback depth finally being healthy — "at last, QB health," as he put it.

With the Packers' pass rush and a home crowd at Lambeau Field awaiting, the decision hands Penix a demanding environment for his season debut. Atlanta will need more consistency from the position after the sluggish start to the year, and Thursday night offers the first real look at how the revamped room holds up together.