Atlanta, a team that was winless heading into Thursday night, absolutely ripped apart the Green Bay Packers 35-14. This wasn’t just a loss, it was a national audience getting a brutal look at a Green Bay squad that, despite it being “Alumni Night” for their 1996 Super Bowl team, looks light years away from challenging for any kind of championship. The Falcons, after falling behind 7-0, rattled off 27 straight points and cruised to victory, leaving the boo birds out in full force at Lambeau. Both teams are now 1-2, and Green Bay’s incredible 13-game streak of home opening victories? Poof, gone.
Defense Goes AWOL When It Mattered Most
Remember how Green Bay’s defense was supposed to be a bright spot? For the first two weeks, they looked good, ranking fifth in total defense (allowing just 262.0 yards per game), eighth in rushing defense (87.0 YPG), and ninth in passing defense (175.0 YPG). Well, throw all that out the window. The Falcons did whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, piling up a staggering 498 total yards, with 256 through the air and 242 on the ground. Think about this: Atlanta hadn’t even reached the red zone in their first two games, then they went and scored on five straight possessions, six of seven overall, after two empty drives to start. Bijan Robinson was sensational, rushing for 194 yards on 29 carries for a 6.7 average and two touchdowns. Quarterback Michael Penix was incredibly efficient, completing 18 of 25 passes for 256 yards, a touchdown, and a 101.4 rating. And wideout Drake London had a monster game with nine catches for 194 yards. It was a complete defensive meltdown.
Offense Stuck In Neutral and Coaching Missteps
It wasn’t just the defense that struggled, though. The Packers’ running game was pathetic, hitting a new low with just 17 rushing yards on nine carries. That’s their fewest rushing yards in the last 20 years, eclipsing the 24 yards they had against Detroit back in 2013. Coming into the game averaging 64.5 rushing yards per game, that number plummeted to just 48.7 after Thursday. The first half was brutal, with Green Bay trailing 17-7, getting outplayed in every single area. Atlanta had 15 first downs to Green Bay’s six, 253 total yards to 108, and held the ball for almost 20 minutes compared to Green Bay’s 10:07. The Packers went three-and-out on four of their six possessions and were a dismal 1 of 6 on third downs. You just can’t win football games like that.
To top it off, coach Matt LaFleur’s aggressive fourth down decisions are starting to look like a real problem. Trailing 17-7 in the third, Green Bay drove to the Falcons’ 7-yard line, facing fourth-and-1. They went for it, Jordan Love was pressured, and he threw incomplete for Christian Watson. This isn’t a one-off, either. In their Week 1 loss to Minnesota, LaFleur took three points off the board with his team *ahead* 22-17, tried converting a fourth-and-1, failed, and watched the Vikings snatch momentum and pull away for a 39-22 win. There’s zero shame in taking the points, especially when you are down two scores, like they were against Atlanta.
What does this mess mean for a team that’s now 1-2 and just watched its 13-game home opening win streak vanish? This early in the season, if they don’t fix these core issues, especially that porous defense and those questionable coaching calls, it’s gonna be a rough, long ride.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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