FLOWERY BRANCH, Aug. 15 -- The fumbled snap came on Tua Tagovailoa's second possession. He jogged off the field in the first quarter, 22 yards and a fumbled exchange to his name, and the Atlanta Falcons went on to lose 27-7 to the Denver Broncos in their preseason opener Thursday night.

The numbers alone tell one story. The context tells a different one.

Michael Penix Jr., the quarterback the Falcons invested a first-round pick in to eventually push, or replace, Tua, has not been cleared for 11-on-11 practice. He is still rehabilitating the ACL injury that ended his first full NFL season before it could take shape. His summer has been confined to 7-on-7 drills: no contact, no live pass rush, no offensive line in front of him. He cannot ...