The Falcons are up 17-7 on the Packers at halftime on Thursday Night Football, and it’s a lead carved out despite a seriously shaky start from quarterback Michael Penix. This dude hadn’t played since November 16, and it showed early on.
Penix Shakes Off the Rust to Burn Green Bay
Talk about a rollercoaster first half. Penix’s third pass of the game was an interception, and he was only 5-of-11 to kick things off. Rough, right? But then he flipped a switch, finding his rhythm to finish the half 13-of-20 for 114 yards, including a crucial 5-yard touchdown throw to tight end Austin Hooper with just 59 seconds left before the break. He still has that interception on his ledger, but his ability to bounce back and put points on the board is why Atlanta is up right now. They had zero red zone snaps in their first two games, but tonight, they are a perfect 2-for-2 in the red zone. That’s serious efficiency.
Falcons’ Offense Is Rolling
It wasn’t just Penix getting it done, either. The Falcons scored on three of their last four possessions in the first half. Running back Bijan Robinson is tearing it up, racking up 111 yards on 15 carries, including a 3-yard touchdown run. He even chipped in with one catch for 17 yards. Receiver Drake London pulled in five catches for 54 yards. Overall, the Falcons absolutely outgained the Packers 253 to a meager 108 yards. Green Bay just could not get anything going.
Jordan Love has only managed 96 yards on 9-of-19 passing for the Packers. Their offense went three-and-out on four of their six first-half possessions, converting only 1-for-6 on third down, which led to four punts. To make matters worse, kicker Trey Smack had his 47-yard field goal attempt blocked by Falcons defensive lineman Zach Harrison. This has been a rough night for Green Bay so far. The second half is gonna be a battle for them to claw back.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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