Falcons Stun Packers 35-14 as Michael Penix Jr. Returns From Injury
The Atlanta Falcons pulled off a big win on Thursday night, September 24th. They beat the Green Bay Packers 35-14 at Lambeau Field in Wisconsin. The star of the game was quarterback Michael Penix Jr. He was playing his first game of the season after recovering from a torn ACL, which is a major knee injury. Before Penix returned, Atlanta’s offense had barely scored any points. In fact, the Falcons had scored only 16 points combined in their first two games. That was the fewest of any team in the league.
Everything changed once Penix took over. The Falcons scored 17 points before halftime alone. Penix completed 18 of his 25 pass attempts for 256 total yards and one touchdown. He did throw an interception early on, however, he quickly bounced back and played much better afterward. The Packers, on the other hand, were missing two their star defender Micah Parsons, who was out with his own ACL injury and their top running back, Josh Jacobs, who was also unavailable for this game.
Falcons vs Packers: Full Game Stats and Key Facts Table
A side-by-side breakdown of the Falcons’ 35-14 win over the Packers, covering passing stats, rushing yards, injuries, and key game trends from Thursday night’s matchup at Lambeau Field.
Why the Falcons’ Running Game Was So Impressive
Rushing yards of Atlanta’s offense team was excellent on Thursday. Running back Bijan Robinson alone gained 194 rushing yards, which is an outstanding total for one player. He gained more than 100 of those yards in just the first half.
Another Atlanta player, Brian Robinson Jr., also scored a touchdown by running the ball in. As a team, the Falcons rushed for 244 yards total. Wide receiver Drake London also had a big game catching passes. He caught nine passes for 194 yards, helping the offense stay balanced and hard to stop.
Why the Packers Struggled to Keep Up
The Packers’ quarterback, Jordan Love, had a tough night overall behind his offensive line. He was hit a total of 11 times, adding to his struggles from earlier this season. Just two weeks earlier, he had taken 15 hits in a game against Minnesota. Love still managed to throw for 312 yards and two touchdowns. He completed 28 of his 52 pass attempts on the night.
However, he also threw one interception during the game which added to an already difficult evening for Green Bay’s offense. Without their star running back Josh Jacobs, Green Bay could barely run the ball at all. They finished with only 17 rushing yards on the nine total carries. That gave them just 146 rushing yards through three games this season.
The Falcons improved their record to 1-2 with the win. They will now travel to New Orleans for their next game on Oct. 5. The Packers, meanwhile, fell to 1-2 on the season. They head to Tampa Bay next, with a game scheduled for Oct. 4.
Web resources on Falcons vs Packers Recap
1. ESPN : Falcons upset Packers in Michael Penix Jr.’s return from ACL.
2. Fox News : Packers’ shocking blowout loss to Falcons should put coach Matt LaFleur on the hot seat.
3. Guardian : Falcons trample punchless Packers as Bijan Robinson runs riot in Penix return.