Gut Reaction: Stefanski, Falcons Embarrassed by Panthers

Expectations were low for the Atlanta Falcons heading into their game against the Carolina Panthers as soon as Cooper Rush was named the starting quarterback.

Unfortunately for Falcons fans, Atlanta couldn’t live up to even those low expectations They played a team that gave up 59 points last week, and watched the Panthers waltz to a 34-3 win.

The job of the backup quarterback is to just not lose the game. Cooper Rush didn’t make it through the first play without turning the ball over. He had the chance to dump it off on a play-action bootleg, but he decided to run the ball and then push for a first down.

It was a bang-bang play, but the officials ruled the ball was out before his knee touched. One play for the Falcons offense, one turnover.

A couple of busted coverages, including one on 4th and goal, and the Panthers cashed in the Falcons' turnover.

On the Falcons’ second possession, after actually dumping the ball to Drake London on a bootleg that set up a first down, Rush dropped back to pass on 3rd and 5. He hesitated on a slant, giving linebacker Devin Lloyd a step to close the passing lane and deflect the pass. Two possessions, five Cooper Rush plays, and two turnovers.

The Falcons defense stood tall on the second one, but Falcons fans voiced their displeasure as boo birds after the second turnover and when Rush took the field for the third possession.

Rush finished the first half 9 of 15 passing for 80 yards, a fumble, and an interception. His 46.5 passer rating was even worse than the 51.9 he posted against the Steelers.

He opened the 2nd half with another interception. The Falcons were in a 2nd and 6 with an empty backfield. Yes… empty. Rush dropped back and lobbed it to Lloyd, who may make All-Pro on this game alone.

Evidently, that was the final straw for Stefanski. Jack Strand entered after Rush’s third turnover to raucous cheers. The Falcons got the ball on their own two-yard line with a game well out of reach. Not exactly ideal circumstances.

If we were wondering how bad it could be with Strand in there, he threw a pick-six on his first pass attempt. It was a slant thrown into traffic, and the ball bounced around after hitting Jahan Dotson before… I mean, who else, Devin Lloyd pulled it out of the air and returned it 16 yards for the touchdown.

Strand was inserted into the game too late to make a difference, so we don't really know how much different it would have been if he had practiced as the starter all week.

Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday morning that the Falcons hoped to start Penix on Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers. They could also decide to give him another 11 days, with the team not scheduled to play again until the following Monday night against the Saints.

Losing a game is one thing; entering a game with no hope is another. That’s the feeling with Cooper Rush behind center, and Stefanski is already on thin ice with Falcons fans. Playing Strand on Thursday if Penix still isn’t ready would buy him some goodwill, even if there was a glaring example of why starting an undrafted free agent rookie this early in the season is a bad idea.

It just can't be Rush again.

Penix will eventually get the chance to prove he can be a long-term option for this team. It could be as early as Thursday against the Packers. If it’s not an exponential improvement at quarterback next week will have Falcons fans looking even more heavily at quarterbacks in the 2027 NFL Draft.

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