Tua Tagovailoa reacts to Michael Penix Jr. earning Falcons' starting job via win over Packers

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. earned at least a second straight start after he helped the Atlanta Falcons notch an impressive 35-14 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sept. 24 that improved the Falcons to 1-2 on the season. 

Tua Tagovailoa was set to serve as the Falcons' Week 1 QB1 until he suffered an oblique injury ahead of Atlanta's season opener. Tagovailoa is now relegated to backup duties, but he seems to be embracing that role as Atlanta prepares for its Week 4 "Monday Night Football" game at the 1-2 New Orleans Saints on Oct. 5.

Tua Tagovailoa understands his "job description" with Michael Penix Jr. atop the depth chart

"You've got to do everything you can to make sure you're not the reason he's failing," Tagovailoa said about Penix on Tuesday, per Marc Raimondi of ESPN. "So, that's where I look at my job being right now for Mike and whatever he needs in terms of off-the-field film, extra throws, questions, whatever it is, whatever that looks like. That's what my job description entails right now."

Against the Packers, Penix completed 18-of-25 passes for 256 yards with one touchdown and an interception he tossed on Atlanta’s first offensive possession. While some wondered after that game whether the Falcons could potentially make Tagovailoa available to a club that lost a quarterback to an injury, Penix's history of dealing with physical setbacks in college and the NFL could cause Atlanta to hold onto Tagovailoa for the foreseeable future. 

"I'm always going to look at it as a competition," Tagovailoa said about his current role with the Falcons. "But as I said, this is the job description right now. Mike's the guy. We have to do everything we can to support him, and we're going to support him."

Tua Tagovailoa opens up about oblique injury 

It was first learned that Tagovailoa had an oblique injury on Sept. 10. On Tuesday, he revealed that he experienced discomfort on Sept. 9 but figured he could play through the pain. 

"Just thought it wasn't something as serious, just man, maybe my back or something might have locked up," Tagovailoa explained. "But that's what it was (an oblique), and it's unfortunate, but it is what it is."

According to Raimondi, Tagovailoa is "doing much better now, though maybe not completely 100 percent" coming off that injury. Tagovailoa is on track to serve as Penix's primary backup for the matchup against the Saints. 

As of Tuesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had Atlanta as a three-point road underdog versus New Orleans.