The Green Bay Packers just got absolutely crushed 35-14 by the Atlanta Falcons on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 3, and head coach Matt LaFleur didn’t hold back, straight up calling it a “butt-whooping.” You gotta respect the honesty, right? This wasn’t some close call; it was a prime-time beatdown, leaving everyone wondering what happened to the Pack.
Three Quarters of Pure Pain for the Packers
LaFleur was quick to say you can’t blame any single moment for such a comprehensive loss, even that roughing-the-passer call in the first quarter that seemed to flip things. “I don’t wanna say that was the reason that we lost,” he stated. And honestly, looking at the numbers, he’s got a point. The Falcons rolled up a massive 500 yards of offense, while Green Bay could only muster 328, with a big chunk of that, 134 yards, coming in the fourth quarter when the game was already out of reach. “It was a butt-whooping, so I’m not gonna put it on one thing,” LaFleur added, stressing that it was “at least a three-quarter butt-whooping.” That’s a brutal assessment, but after watching Atlanta just run all over them, it feels pretty accurate.
Humbling Numbers and a Rough Start
This loss was “humbling,” according to LaFleur, and the stats back that up big time. The Packers’ running backs combined for just 17 rushing yards on the night, which is the fewest in any NFL game so far this season. Meanwhile, the Falcons’ two running backs torched Green Bay’s defense for 244 rushing yards, the most allowed in any NFL game this season. Bijan Robinson was a wrecking ball, tallying 194 rushing yards himself, just one yard shy of a career high. And it wasn’t just the run game; Falcons wide receiver Drake London also had a monster night with a career-high 194 yards on nine catches. Atlanta’s 35 points were the most Green Bay has given up in a home opener since way back in 1971. This marks the Packers’ first home opener loss since 2012, dropping them to a concerning 1-2 on the season. That’s their worst start since LaFleur took over as head coach in 2019, which is a massive red flag this early in the year.
The Packers are hitting the road in Week 4 to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, desperately needing to right the ship. Their next home game won’t be until Week 5 when they host the Chicago Bears. For the Falcons, this was their first win of the year, and they’ll try to keep that momentum going with a visit to the New Orleans Saints. Can Green Bay stop the bleeding and avoid digging themselves an even deeper hole? This next road trip is huge for setting the tone for the rest of their season.
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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