Coy Wire: If Michael Penix is healthy, he's the Falcons starting QB
Former Falcons lineback and CNN sports anchor Coy Wire gives his assessment of the Atlanta's quarterback situation -- explaining why he believes Michael Penix Jr. will be the starter if healthy, why Cooper Rush outplayed Tua Tagovailoa in the preseason, and why the eventual starter just needs to be efficient on the field.
Video Transcript
I think if, if Penix is healthy enough, I think he, he'll be the starter.
I think, um- Wow he showed enough last year, what, nine touchdowns, three interceptions.
We saw those flashes.
Yeah.
I'm not so sure he wasn't feeling injured before the injury happened.
He just, at some point during the season, he started to look hesitant to me.
He didn't look comfortable in the pocket.
So hopefully now any mental ghosts about another knee injury he can let go of.
I think that's the only thing holding him back.
He was my favorite quarterback coming out of the draft when he came out.
When they drafted him eighth overall, I'd, you know, I People were up in arms about it, but I was like, "This dude," I'd, I'd seen him play in college.
A talent.
And, and he's so, so talented, right?
So- hopefully we can get what they thought they were gonna get when they drafted him, and health-wise he'll be able to go out there and distribute the rock.
So if he's not, I think Tua had the opportunity to win this thing outright.
Right.
Penix, healthy or not.
If he had gone out there and played well, I think that, Penix could have, rested longer, right?
Yeah.
He didn't have to rush him back, so to speak.
Right.
So I think Cooper Rush outplayed Tua.
Wow.
And- Really?
In, in the pre-season.
Yeah, just looking back at everything, I mean, there were- Yeah there were times in the first half of the second game where he and Jack Strand combined for, like, 14 or 15 in the first half of that game.
And then second game as well, Cooper Rush was efficient, you know?
And that's all I want in a quarterback.
Yes.
With this team, with all these weapons, I just want someone who's efficient, someone who's not gonna bobble the snap, someone who's gonna get everyone lined up, right?
So I think Tua had the opportunity and he kinda quite literally at times dropped the ball on- Yeah snagging that starting position, so.
