Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-23 · by Steve Megargee The Associated Press
Michael Penix Jr., who missed the start of the season due to a torn ACL, returns for the Atlanta Falcons as they face the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night with hopes of reviving their struggling offense. The Falcons have not reached the red zone in either of their first two games and have thrown five interceptions while managing only one touchdown pass under interim quarterbacks Cooper Rush and Jack Strand. Meanwhile, the Packers are dealing with injuries to key players like Micah Parsons and Zach Bako-Bewele, but they remain optimistic about their offensive line's performance despite these challenges.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-23,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Michael Penix Jr., who suffered a torn ACL in November 2025, was named the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons against the Green Bay Packers on September 24, just one week after the Falcons' brutal 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The Falcons hope that Penix's return will provide a spark to an offense that failed to reach the red zone in their first two games of the season. Penix worked hard during his recovery and is set to play for the first time since November 16, 2025. Meanwhile, Tua Tagovailoa will back up Penix after missing the first two regular-season games due to an oblique injury. The game, which starts at 8:15 p.m. ET, is streamed exclusively on Prime Video. Despite being winless (0-2), the Falcons aim for their first victory of the season against a Packers team that comes into this home opener with a record of 1-1 following an overtime win over the New York Jets. The game will be played at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Written for “Michael Penix Jr Returns Falcons vs P…” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 18 other(s) covering the same event.
Michael Penix Jr.‘s return comes at a time when the winless Atlanta Falcons need someone to provide a jolt for their lifeless offense.
asserted
Falcons → come → offense
Atlanta’s offense couldn’t reach the red zone as the Falcons opened the season with losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers.
asserted
Falcons → reach → Steelers
The Falcons were the first team since the Rams in 2008 not to run any plays from inside an opponent’s 20-yard line through the first two games of a season.
asserted
Falcons → run → season
Penix now is back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
asserted
Penix → tear → knee
The 26-year-old quarterback is ready to play his first game since Nov. 16 on Thursday night as the Falcons visit the Green Bay Packers.
asserted
Falcons → play → Packers
“I’ve been working extremely hard to get to this point,” Penix said.
asserted
Penix → work → point
Atlanta (0-2) needs the boost that Penix will try to provide.
asserted
Penix → need → that
Cooper Rush and Jack Strand threw a combined five interceptions with one touchdown pass — a 23-yarder from Rush to Bijan Robinson in Week 1 — while Penix worked his way back.
asserted
Penix → throw → way
The Packers expect to face a more capable Atlanta offense now that Penix is back.
asserted
Penix → expect → offense
“He’s a quarterback that’s gone in there and played really solid football,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.
asserted
LaFleur → ’ → football
“So I would bet that their offense is going to look a little bit different Thursday night.”
asserted
offense → bet → ?
Green Bay (1-1) has concerns of its own.
asserted
Bay → have → own
All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons is recovering from a torn ACL and running back Josh Jacobs remains on the commissioner’s exempt list.
asserted
Jacobs → recover → list
Wide receiver Jayden Reed and offensive tackle Zach Bako-Bewele were carted off the field during the Packers’ 20-17 overtime victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.
asserted
Reed → cart → Sunday
Bako-Bewele tore his patellar tendon and will miss the rest of the season.
asserted
Bewele → tear → season
The injury to Bako-Bewele creates more adversity for an offensive line that hasn’t established a rhythm yet.
asserted
that → create → rhythm
Left guard Aaron Banks injured his toe against the Jets, leaving his status for Thursday’s game uncertain.
asserted
Banks → injure → game
Packers quarterback Jordan Love says all those injuries up front shouldn’t change the expectations.
asserted
injuries → say → expectations
“I expect those guys to go out there and put their best foot forward and give me time to be able to go out there and try dicing a defense up,” Love said.
asserted
Love → expect → defense
“That’s the expectations, whoever’s out there.
asserted
whoever → ’ → ?
Nothing changes.
asserted
Nothing → change → ?
Need to know
Atlanta (0-2) at Green Bay (1-1)
When/where to watch: Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Amazon Prime
Latest odds: Packers by 5 1/2.
Against the spread: Falcons 0-2; Packers 0-2
Last week: Packers beat the New York Jets 20-17 in overtime on the road; Falcons lost 34-3 at home to the Carolina Panthers
Last meeting:
asserted
Falcons → need → Panthers
Series record: Packers lead 19-17
Matchup to watch
Robinson vs. Packers’ run defense:
asserted
Packers → lead → defense
After earning All-Pro honors last season, Robinson has rushed for 155 yards on 37 carries through Atlanta’s first two games this season.
asserted
Robinson → earn → games
Green Bay is allowing just 2.85 yards per carry.
asserted
Bay → allow → carry
Only the Los Angeles Chargers are giving up fewer yards per rush.
asserted
Chargers → give → rush
Stats and stuff
— Robinson is the third-youngest player in NFL history to have at least 4,000 rushing yards (4,065) and 200 receptions (209) at 24 years, 233 days.
asserted
Robinson → have → years
Only Hall of Famers Edgerrin James (24 years, 129 days) and LaDainian Tomlinson (24 years, 160 days) were younger when reaching those marks.
asserted
James → reach → marks
— Robinson reached 4,000 yards in 53 games, the fewest games to that milestone in team history.
asserted
Robinson → reach → history
William Andrews reached the mark in 54 games.
asserted
Andrews → reach → games
— Falcons WR Drake London reached 4,000 receiving yards (4,041) in 64 games.
asserted
London → reach → games
Only Julio Jones (47) and Andre Rison (62) reached 4,000 receiving yards in fewer games in Falcons history.
asserted
Jones → reach → history
— The Falcons rank last in the league with 123.5 passing yards per game, 31st with 8.0 points per game and 29th with 262 total yards per game.
asserted
Falcons → rank → game
— Atlanta’s minus-6 turnover margin ranks last in the league.
asserted
margin → rank → league
— Atlanta edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, who played for Green Bay from 2019-21, has 2 1/2 sacks in his first two games with the Falcons.
asserted
who → play → Falcons
— The Packers are seeking to win their home opener for a 14th straight year, which would set an NFL record.
asserted
which → seek → record
The Packers are currently tied for the longest such streak with the Miami Dolphins, who won 13 straight home openers from 1976-88.
asserted
who → tie → 1976
— The Packers rank last in the league in third down conversion rate (19.1%).
asserted
Packers → rank → rate
— Green Bay has committed the most penalties (26) for the most yards (231) of any NFL team.
asserted
Bay → commit → team
— Packers WR Christian Watson has three touchdown catches in Green Bay’s first two games.
asserted
Watson → have → games
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
