The Falcons Are Starting Cooper Rush Because Their QB Room is a Cursed Medical Tent

The Atlanta Falcons have officially released their Week 2 inactive list, and it reads less like a football roster and more like a triage report.

ESPN reporter Marc Raimondi confirmed Sunday that quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. are officially inactive against the Carolina Panthers. Defensive backs Billy Bowman Jr. and Malcolm DeWalt IV, along with offensive lineman Ethan Onianwa, will also be watching this one in street clothes.

"Marc Raimondi reported the official inactive list, confirming both top quarterbacks are out."

Having one franchise quarterback miss time is bad luck. Having your starter and your highly drafted backup both physically unable to play by the second week of the season is the kind of curse that requires burning sage in the locker room.

Tagovailoa is sidelined with an oblique injury he picked up in practice, adding to a brutal career medical sheet that already includes multiple concussions and rib fractures. Meanwhile, Penix is out with a knee issue, which is terrifying for anyone who remembers the multiple ACL tears he suffered back in college.

This leaves the keys to the offense in the hands of Cooper Rush. If you are holding a ticket on the Atlanta moneyline or relying on any Falcons pass catchers in your fantasy lineup, you might want to start emotionally preparing for a rough afternoon.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski is only two games into his tenure in Atlanta, and he is already being forced to run an offense with a third-string quarterback. The Falcons only managed 13 points in their Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and that was before the quarterback depth chart completely evaporated.

Atlanta just needs to survive this matchup against Carolina and hope the medical staff can work a miracle before Week 3. Until Tagovailoa or Penix can actually get back on the field, this offense is going to be a very tough watch.