The Atlanta Falcons believe they have enough talent to make a serious push in the NFC this season… Dan Orlovsky isn't convinced.
The ESPN analyst recently questioned whether Atlanta's quarterback situation is good enough to support the team's contender ambitions, specifically raising concerns about Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr.
"Today's quarterbacks cannot be dink-and-dunk quarterbacks," Orlovsky said. "They could have been four or five years ago because the RPO, the space, the yards after catch were so prominent. You can't be."
Orlovsky's bigger concern is that Tagovailoa's style could become a problem if Atlanta cannot consistently threaten defenses down the field.
"While I love Tua and I understand his probably not wanting to get hit because of those injuries and the concussions, they just won't survive in Atlanta with a short passing game for long," Orlovsky said.
That is a pretty significant warning for a Falcons team hoping to make the jump from an interesting roster to a legitimate NFC contender.
Tua Tagovailoa has not settled the QB competition
Tua Tagovailoa’s preseason was a mixed bag that included completing just 3 of 5 passes for 22 yards and going 7 of 8 for 95 yards while leading a touchdown drive.
Those numbers aren't terrible, but they haven't exactly forced Atlanta's hand either. And that is where Orlovsky's criticism becomes interesting.
The issue isn't simply whether Tagovailoa can complete short passes. He obviously can. The question is whether Atlanta can consistently win games if defenses don't have to worry about him attacking deep.
The Atlanta Falcons have too much offensive talent to spend an entire season asking their quarterback to simply distribute the ball underneath.
Bijan Robinson gives Atlanta a legitimate weapon in the backfield. Drake London is a proven receiver. Kyle Pitts is one of the more talented tight ends in football.
Michael Penix Jr. creates another problem. Orlovsky isn't much more comfortable with Penix taking over immediately.
"I think it's really hard to play Michael Penix Week 1 because the last time he played football, he got injured, and you're not going to get an opportunity to put him into a real football game," Orlovsky said. "You can only simulate so much in practice."
The truth is the Falcons don't need either quarterback to be perfect. They do need one of them to give the offense an identity that can hold up when the games actually matter.
Dan Orlovsky's warning may ultimately come down to whether either QB can do that.
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