Who Should I Start? Jared Goff or Michael Penix Jr.

Friday, August 8, 2:31 PM

In the Detroit Lions' second preseason game on Friday night against the Atlanta Falcons, starting quarterback Jared Goff will not suit up, giving third-year signal-caller Hendon Hooker the start. Kyle Allen made the start in the first preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers and played the entire first half. Allen and Hooker, who went 3-for-6 for 18 yards, combined to throw three interceptions in the opener, so head coach Dan Campbell is looking for better communication, execution and ball movement on Friday. Allen and Hooker are in a close competition to be Goff's backup entering the 2025 season, according to Lions beat writer Tim Twentyman. If Hooker can get off to a good start against Atlanta and keep the offense moving, he could separate himself from Allen a bit in the backup competition this summer.

Tuesday, August 12, 10:08 AM

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will not play in the team's second preseason game on Friday, per ESPN's Marc Raimondi. Backup quarterback Kirk Cousins is also unlikely to play, although it has not been completely ruled out by the team. Neither Penix Jr. nor Cousins played in Atlanta's first preseason game against the Detroit Lions last Friday, leaving Easton Stick and Emory Jones to handle signal-calling duties. Penix Jr. has a long injury history dating back to his time in college, so it makes sense why the team would want to be cautious with him in the preseason despite his limited NFL experience as a starter (three games).