The Atlanta Falcons beat the Green Bay Packers 35–14 on Thursday, 24 September, at Lambeau Field, scoring 27 unanswered points after falling behind 7–0 (ESPN box score). Michael Penix Jr., in his season debut after tearing the ACL in his left knee against Carolina on Nov. 16, completed 18 of 25 passes for 256 yards with a touchdown and an interception (ESPN box score; AP via CBS Sports). The loss ended Green Bay’s run of 13 straight wins in home openers (Packers.com). Both teams are 1–2.
Bijan Robinson carried 29 times for 194 yards and two rushing touchdowns, with runs of 55 and 31 yards; he finished one yard short of his career high of 195 (ESPN box score; Reuters / Field Level Media). Drake London caught nine passes for a career-high 194 yards, including a 68-yarder (ESPN box score; AP via CBS Sports). Atlanta finished with 242 rushing yards on 41 attempts and 498 total yards, converted 6 of 10 third downs, and had the ball for 37:05 (ESPN box score).
Green Bay managed 17 rushing yards on nine carries (ESPN box score). Jordan Love went 28-of-53 for 312 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Matthew Golden caught five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown, and Christian Watson had seven catches for 96 yards and a score (ESPN box score). The Packers played without edge rusher Micah Parsons (ACL) and running back Josh Jacobs (commissioner exempt list) and with an offensive line missing two starters (ESPN / Marc Raimondi and Rob Demovsky).
The start went the Packers’ way. Penix threw an interception on Atlanta’s first possession, and Love found Watson for a 4-yard touchdown with 5:13 left in the first quarter (ESPN box score; Packers.com). Robinson answered with a 3-yard run to tie it. Nick Folk kicked a 44-yard field goal, and Penix hit Austin Hooper for a 5-yard touchdown with 59 seconds left in the half for a 17–7 lead (ESPN box score).
Penix was 13 of 15 in the second and third quarters and 5 for 5 on third downs over that stretch (ESPN). Brian Robinson Jr.’s 7-yard run made it 24–7 late in the third quarter. Early in the fourth, Penix found London for 68 yards on third-and-2, setting up Folk’s 31-yard field goal for 27–7 (ESPN box score; Reuters). Love hit Golden for a 15-yard touchdown with 8:18 left, but Bijan Robinson’s 2-yard run and a two-point conversion pass from Penix to Chris Blair closed the scoring at 35–14 with 3:33 remaining (ESPN box score).
With third-string quarterback Cooper Rush over the first two weeks, the Falcons scored 16 combined points, fewest in the league (ESPN). Robinson and London were the first teammates to each gain at least 190 yards from scrimmage in a road game since Lawrence McCutcheon and Ron Jessie for the Rams at Miami on Oct. 3, 1976 (AP via CBS Sports).
Green Bay has 146 rushing yards through three games, its fewest to open a season since 1933 (ESPN Research).
Atlanta plays at New Orleans on Oct. 5; Green Bay visits Tampa Bay on Oct. 4 (ESPN).
Floor: Falcons 35–14 at Packers (Thu, Lambeau); Penix 18/25, 256 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT on ACL return; Bijan Robinson 29–194, 2 rushing TDs; London 9–194; ATL 242 rushing, GB 17; Love 28/53, 312 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT; both 1–2; next ATL Oct. 5 at NO, GB Oct. 4 at TB (ESPN box score; ESPN; Reuters; AP; Packers.com).