Michael Penix Jr. is back under center for the Atlanta Falcons tonight, making his first start of the season after missing two games recovering from last November’s ACL tear. This isn’t just a regular Thursday Night Football game at Lambeau Field, it’s a make-or-break moment for an Atlanta squad that has struggled hard out of the gate.
Jordan Love Is Slinging It, But That O-Line Is Asking For Trouble
Look, Jordan Love has been letting it fly for the Packers. Through two games, he’s stacked up 532 total yards and tossed 4 touchdowns, with Green Bay ranking ninth in the league for passing yards per game at 244.5 and ninth in passing touchdowns. That’s a strong start for the passing game, especially when their ground game is only grinding out 64.5 rushing yards per game. But here’s the cold splash of water: Love has been sacked 7 times already. Seven! And the team converts a miserable 19 percent of their third downs, which is dead last in the entire league. Talk about putting pressure on a young QB. With Jayden Reed out with a neck injury, they’re gonna need Tucker Kraft to step up big at tight end. He’s got 5 catches for 80 yards so far, but he was limited to just 2 catches for 15 yards in their recent overtime win against the Jets. If Kraft can settle into that middle-of-the-field role, it’ll take some heat off the rest of Love’s targets.
Penix Steps Into A Tough Spot With The Falcons Desperate For A Spark
Penix is taking over from Cooper Rush, who led the Falcons to an 0-2 start. Rush’s last outing was brutal, going 10 of 17 for 86 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble in a 34-3 loss to Carolina. That’s rough, man. Atlanta’s offense has been powered by Bijan Robinson, who saw a heavy workload in that Carolina game, running 16 times for 72 yards and adding 3 catches for 9 yards. The Falcons are averaging 138.5 rushing yards per game against just 123.5 passing yards per game, showing how much they lean on him. But get this: Atlanta is only averaging 8 points per game with a minus-6 turnover margin. Yikes. That means every single one of Robinson’s touches is under serious pressure tonight against a physical Green Bay front that’s already got 7 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. On defense, the Falcons have given up 27 points per game through two weeks and haven’t forced a single turnover through the air. That’s just not gonna cut it.
This Thursday Night Football showdown is massive for both squads. For Atlanta, it’s about Penix bringing some life to a struggling offense and reversing that ugly turnover margin. For Green Bay, it’s about Love pushing the ball and the O-line actually giving him time, because those sacks and third-down woes are a ticking time bomb.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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