TheAtlanta Falcons had a night to forgetat the quarterback position in the team's preseason opener. While Tua Tagovailoa played limited snaps, there is no denying the clear rush and lack of ease that was present in Atlanta's offense. Seeing his fellow quarterback in danger of facing heat, in stepped veteran backup Cooper Rush to offer one of the uglier preseason performances the league will see. Rush finished his night 7/19 for 62 yards and two interceptions.
Rush had one decent drive with the Falcons pushing Atlanta down the field in a two-minute drill, only to throw one of the ugliest interceptions you'll see. The quarterback pushed the ball to the right into a defender instead of putting it to the left where there was far more open space. The ball was tipped and returned from one side of the field to the other for a Denver touchdown.
It served as a reminder of why Rush has been in a reserve role and why the Falcons were able to add the veteran so late in the summer. The limitations and bad decision-making jumped off the screen and demanded that the Falcons make a change and start searching for another option.
Having the league's most injury-prone quarterback room with Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa leaves the franchise no choice but to search for a viable third option. Both players have a resume that suggests it is far from improbable that the Falcons find themselves turning to a third option.
Falcons Forced to Turn the Page on Cooper Rush After Quarterback's Frustrating Atlanta Debut
Putting Rush into the emergency third quarterback role shouldn't be an option, not only based on the preseason opener, but also on the veteran's career. There isn't any reason to look at the resume of the signal caller and argue that the Falcons are going to have any chance to win a game if forced to turn to Rush. It would be far better to go with a project quarterback or a veteran you hope has something left in the tank.
No matter from what perspective you choose to look at the current quarterback room, it becomes increasingly clear that a change is needed. Tagovailoa was extremely underwhelming in the offense of Kevin Stefanski, while Penix remains an unproven starting option coming off a serious knee injury yet again.
Atlanta needs to utilize all three of its quarterback roster spots to the best of their ability, and Rush made it clear these plans shouldn't include him. As tough as this might be, it is the reality of a league that puts winning above all else. Looking at it from the Falcons' perspective, this should be the perspective with a high level of desperation, understanding the franchise hasn't had a winning season since 2017. Rush isn't going to help you change this if forced into action and offers little upside in a reserve role.
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