Michael Penix Jr. Set to Start for Falcons in Primetime Matchup Against Packers

Michael Penix Jr. will start at quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday at 8:15 p.m. ET against the Green Bay Packers.

Michael Penix Jr. will start at quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers at 8:15 p.m. ET. The primetime road game follows two consecutive losses to open the regular season under right-handed starter Cooper Rush. Penix Jr. and teammate Tua Tagovailoa, who is also on the roster, missed the first two games due to health issues.

Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and quarterback coach Alex Van Pelt have adjusted the offense to accommodate the team's southpaw passers. Coaching fellow Mike Bearden flipped play diagrams to be left-handed-friendly, while Van Pelt altered footwork instruction and receiver routes. The Falcons' offensive line will also see a shift in responsibility, as right tackle Jawaan Taylor must now protect the quarterback's blind side.

Atlanta’s roster features an unusual concentration of left-handed players, including center Ryan Neuzil, wide receiver Drake London, and running back Bijan Robinson. According to ESPN Research, the Falcons are poised to become only the third NFL team since 1991 to start more than one left-handed quarterback in a single season, joining the 1997 Jacksonville Jaguars and the 1991 Cincinnati Bengals.

Wide receiver Jahan Dotson noted that the spin of a left-handed pass requires adjustment, as the ball turns the opposite way compared to a right-handed throw. To prepare, Falcons receivers have utilized Jugs machines specifically calibrated to simulate left-handed torque. Only 33 left-handed quarterbacks have appeared in NFL history, with Steve Young and Ken Stabler being the only two currently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.