It may seem like a stretch, but the Atlanta Falcons should be prepared to throw their undrafted rookie quarterback, Jack Strand, right into the fire in his NFL debut.
With Tua Tagovailoa set to miss the season opener against the Pitsburgh Steelers due to an oblique injury, and Michael Penix Jr. also inactive as his recovery continues, the Falcons' QB room is down to just two: Strand and Cooper Rush, but the veteran is set to get the start later this afternoon.
Strand showed out in the preseason, while Rush flopped big time, to say the least, throwing two interceptions which came against mostly backups. Backups won't be on the field for the Steelers' defense on Sunday. Instead, it will be T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, and their crew.
There is no excuse to throw a pick or make a critical mistake if you are the veteran quarterback. So if the journeyman QB struggles, Kevin Stefanski should be prepared to pull the plug on his starter in favor of the preseason standout.
Jack Strand should be starting over Cooper Rush for the Falcons today
It is crazy to think we are in this position. Sure, there was no shortage of hype around the 22-year-old as soon as the Falcons signed him after the draft, but no one knew he would perform that well -- similar to how no one thought Tua would be that bad or Rush would start Game 1 of the Stefanski era.
Rush was only turned to because of injuries to Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, but that doesn't mean his job is safe. If he struggles that much against this Pittsburgh defense, it wouldn't be shocking to see a benching in the opener. After all, Rush started games last year and was quickly replaced.
Rush not performing will have a lot to do with the offensive line. It is hard to imagine the Falcons' offensive line dominating the Steelers' front, even with how great it is. This pass-rush is one of the most talented units in football, as they finished top-10 in sacks last year, but Strand can test them in a different way.
The former Minnesota State-Morehead (D2) standout brings an element that the other two don't: respectable speed. He can get out of the pocket to throw a dime or to scramble to keep the Falcons on schedule. He can cover up for offensive line deficiencies.
Not to mention, if the game gets out of hand and/or Rush flops, it would behoove the Falcons to see what Strand can do in live action.
We know who Cooper Rush is; we don't know what Strand can become. There have been bold predictions all over the place about the UDFA becoming the long-term starter. That can't happen if he isn't given the opportunity.
So while Michael Penix Jr. appears to be the long-term starter, the current situation says one thing: Jack Strand has all of the tools to warrant getting a shot over Cooper Rush against the Steelers.
Add us as a preferred source on Google