The Atlanta Falcons beat the Green Bay Packers 35-14 Thursday night at Lambeau Field, and the ground game decided it. Atlanta ran 41 times at nearly 6 yards a carry, while Green Bay ran the ball just 9 times all night.
Atlanta held the ball for more than 37 minutes. Green Bay threw 53 passes and led for only a few minutes of the first quarter.
How It Happened
Green Bay struck first. Jordan Love found Christian Watson for a 4-yard touchdown with 5:13 left in the first quarter, and Trey Smack's kick made it 7-0.
Atlanta answered before the quarter ended. Bijan Robinson scored from 3 yards out at 1:32, and Nick Folk's kick tied it 7-7.
The Falcons took control in the second quarter. Folk hit a 44-yard field goal at 4:48 for a 10-7 lead. With 59 seconds left before halftime, Michael Penix Jr. found Austin Hooper for a 5-yard touchdown, sending Atlanta to the locker room up 17-7.
The third quarter produced one score, and it came on the ground again. Brian Robinson Jr. ran in from 7 yards at 3:38 to make it 24-7.
Folk added a 31-yard field goal at 10:57 of the fourth quarter. Love hit Matthew Golden for a 15-yard touchdown at 8:18 to cut into the deficit. Atlanta closed it at 3:33, when Bijan Robinson scored from 2 yards out and Penix found Chris Blair for the two-point conversion.
Key Performers
Bijan Robinson: 2 rushing TD (3 YDS, 2 YDS)
Nick Folk: Field goals of 44 and 31 YDS
Michael Penix Jr.: 5-yard TD pass to Austin Hooper, two-point pass to Chris Blair
Jordan Love: TD passes of 4 YDS to Christian Watson and 15 YDS to Matthew Golden
Falcons rushing: 41 ATT, 242 YDS, 5.9 per carry
Falcons passing: 18-25, 256 YDS, 1 INT, 0 sacks
Packers passing: 28-53, 311 YDS, 1 INT, 1 sack
Packers rushing: 9 ATT, 17 YDS
Robinson's two short scores bookended Atlanta's night. The Falcons converted 15 first downs on the ground, and the Packers managed just 1.
The Falcons were also efficient when it counted. They scored on 4 of 5 trips inside the red zone and converted 6 of 10 third downs. Green Bay needed 15 third-down tries to convert the same 6.
Green Bay's passing yardage looks healthy on paper, but it came on volume. The Packers averaged under 6 yards per pass attempt, while Atlanta averaged better than 10. Atlanta still won comfortably despite 83 penalty yards.
What It Means
Both teams leave Week 3 at 1-2. For Atlanta, this was the season's first win, and it came away from home. The Falcons are now 1-1 on the road and 0-1 at home.
Green Bay has the identical split: 1-1 on the road and 0-1 at Lambeau. Both teams have been better away from home so far, and Thursday night fit that pattern for each of them.
The concern for Green Bay is how the loss happened. A team that runs for 17 yards and cannot get the opponent's offense off the field will struggle to win anywhere. Atlanta found a formula built on the run, and it travelled.