Every report out of Atlanta Falcons training camp has said Tua Tagovailoa is running away with the QB1 job, and the quarterback "battle" we were promised isn't much of a competition at all. But Kevin Stefanski refuses to name a starter and just hand the guy the job--even with Michael Penix Jr. hurt.
On paper, the Falcons should have every reason to trust Tua. But it's interesting that this quarterback battle is still wide open when they have every reason to make it an open-and-shut case. And it's because, Tagovailoa has managed to confirm that his game has more red flags than a race track.
In Atlanta's preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, he looked like a shell of himself. How often have you seen a quarterback average negative air yards in their debut? All of his completions were underneath and then there's the fact that he fumbled his second snap and Kyle Pitts is the one who made his numbers look respectable
Tua Tagovailoa is making the Falcons' QB competition a debate again
Two drives was all it took to see he looked like a fish out of water in this offense. According to Pro Football Focus, Tua received the second-lowest PFF grade of 39 Falcons offensive players. Even Cooper Rush, who threw two picks, was graded higher. And to make matters worse, he looked just as bad in joint practices with the Colts, handing Justin Walley a pick-six on a silver platter.
The 28-year-old ranked 34th in EPA per play among quarterbacks last season and was behind names such as Tyson Bagent, Tyler Huntley, Carson Wentz and Mason Rudolph. At this stage in his career, there's no telling that he's a replacement-level starter, and he's only a placeholder until Penix returns.
The Dirty Birds are rolling with Tua Tagovailoa right now because they don't have any other choice. Ever since Stefanski was hired, the plan was to sign an established veteran as insurance and treat them as a bridge starter until Penix comes back--and once he does, they want to get him on the field to see what they have in him in a better system.
The Falcons used a top-10 pick on Michael Penix Jr. a little over two years ago. There's no reason to give him the J.J. McCarthy treatment when he's been nowhere near as bad. The only question is when he'll get cleared for full contact, as his rehab has been slower than a Christopher Nolan movie.
The only reason that Tua is being labeled "the starter" is because Penix hasn't taken a rep of 11-on-11s since November and likely won't be ready Week 1. But the more the former Pro Bowler struggles, the shorter his leash will get once both signal-callers are fully healthy. He hasn't seized the day enough to make Robin Williams happy. This golden opportunity he's had is starting to slip away.
For all of the people banking on Tua Tagovailoa to re-establish himself as a solid starter in a better situation in Atlanta, the fact of the matter is the last couple weeks have established he's just keeping Michael Penix Jr.'s seat warm until he's able to return.
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