Falcons seemingly make major Cooper Rush decision for Week 2 game vs. Panthers

As of Monday, there seemed to be at least some chance that either Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. could serve as the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback over Cooper Rush for Atlanta's Week 2 game versus the 0-1 Carolina Panthers this coming Sunday afternoon. 

The Falcons may or may not have shared a significant update regarding their quarterback situation on Tuesday.

Falcons want Panthers to think Cooper Rush is starting? 

According to Falcons reporter Josh Kendall of The Athletic, the club changed its media advisory for the week from "starting QB press conference" on Wednesday to "QB Cooper Rush press conference." This would lead one to believe Rush will be Atlanta's QB1 for the second straight week. 

Tagovailoa was on track to start Atlanta's season opener at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 13, but he then suffered an oblique injury this past Thursday. He reportedly could now miss multiple games.

As for Penix, it remains unknown when he will be cleared to face a live defense in a meaningful game as he works to fully recover from the surgery he needed last fall to repair a partially torn ACL.

In what became a 20-13 loss to Pittsburgh, Rush went 12-for-22 passing with 143 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. According to ESPN stats, he posted a league-worst 2.6 adjusted QBR for Week 1. 

Are Falcons simply keeping the Panthers guessing? 

Later on Tuesday, NFL Network reporter Steve Wyche revealed that the Falcons "listed Rush based on no new information." Wyche added that Rush is simply a "placeholder." Thus, one may assume that Penix could possibly play against Carolina. 

However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explained why Penix may sit for another week. 

"For Penix, it helps that his left leg isn’t his plant leg," Florio wrote about the signal-caller's surgically repaired knee. "Still, both legs are exposed to the scrum that emerges when the pocket begins to collapse. He needs to be comfortable with the possibility of having that leg hit from the side before he can play."

As of Tuesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Panthers as 2.5-point road favorites over the Falcons. The Panthers suffered a 59-37 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 1.