ATLANTA (AP) — Falcons fans got what they wanted from the quarterback position Sunday. Sort of.
With Cooper Rush struggling through a miserable afternoon, Atlanta fans were calling for undrafted rookie Jack Strand to come in off the bench. When coach Kevin Stefanski removed Rush with the Falcons trailing Carolina 27-3 in the third quarter, Strand entered to a loud ovation.
And then he threw a pick-6 on his first pass.
The Falcons' problems at quarterback continued in an ugly 34-3 loss to the Panthers. Rush finished 10 of 17 for 86 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble. Strand’s stats — 8 of 15 for 59 yards with an interception and a lost fumble — were compiled during mop-up time against Panthers second-stringers with Bijan Robinson, Drake London and other starters on the Falcons sideline.
Stefanski declined to single out his quarterbacks after the game.
“I’m disappointed in our performance as a football team,” he said. “That’s all of us. It’s not just one position. Disappointed, and I’m going to make sure that we look at answers and not pinpoint one position, if you will.”
Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa stood on the sideline in street clothes, watching as Atlanta's offense failed to reach the red zone for the second consecutive week. Penix has said he is close to returning from the torn ACL in his left knee that he suffered last season. Tagovailoa is nursing an oblique injury.
The Falcons visit Green Bay on Thursday night. Penix split reps in practice with Rush last week.
Stefanski was asked if Penix would be available to start against the Packers.
“To be fair, I don’t think now’s the time to know what the plan is this exact week,” he said. “I’m really focused on this week. Like I’ve told you guys all along and throughout — Mike is continuing to progress, so we’ll work through that this week.”
Rush fumbled on the game’s first play from scrimmage as he was scrambling. He threw an interception on the Falcons’ second possession and Atlanta dropped into a 13-3 hole at halftime.
Rush struggled with back spasms in Atlanta's Week 1 loss at Pittsburgh, but he said he was healthier this week.
“Tough start,” Rush said. “Want that one back, stay on the ball. So yeah, tough start. Our defense in that first half battled their (butts) off, gave us a chance, trying to get stuff going. They played really well early on.”
Strand was not the answer for the Falcons, but the Bloomer, Wisconsin, native who starred at Division II Minnesota State Moorhead appreciated his opportunity to play in the NFL.
“There’s always some nerves going on,” he said. “Even in college, there’s always nerves before a game, and I think that’s a good thing. When I first started in college, one of our receivers asked me if I was nervous, and I was like, ‘Yeah, you know, I’m nervous going into my first start.’ And he’s like, ‘Well, I’m glad you’re nervous because that means you care.’ And so I think that’s something I’ve taken, not necessarily looking at being nervous as a bad thing.”
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