The Atlanta Falcons walked into Lambeau Field on Thursday night and delivered their best performance of the young season, beating the Green Bay Packers 35–14 in a game Atlanta controlled for most of the night.
I picked the Falcons to win this game in my Week 3 predictions because I wasn’t sold on Green Bay being as good as advertised. Atlanta made that pick look pretty good.
A Rough Start Turns Into Atlanta’s Night
It didn’t begin perfectly for the Falcons.
Michael Penix Jr. threw an interception to Xavier McKinney on Atlanta’s opening possession, giving Green Bay an early opportunity to take control. The Packers eventually struck first when Jordan Love escaped the pocket and found Christian Watson in the end zone for a touchdown.
Green Bay led 7–0.
From there, however, the game completely changed.
Atlanta began leaning heavily on Bijan Robinson, and Green Bay had very few answers. Bijan ripped off a 55-yard run that immediately put the Falcons near the goal line before finishing the drive himself with a touchdown to tie the game.
That was only the beginning of his night.
Atlanta Takes Control Before Halftime
The Falcons gradually found their rhythm offensively.
Quick throws, screens and patient running from Bijan allowed Atlanta to consistently move the chains. A field goal eventually gave the Falcons a 10–7 advantage.
Green Bay had an opportunity to answer, but Atlanta’s defense continued making plays. The Packers had a field-goal attempt blocked, preserving the Falcons’ lead.
Then Penix and Drake London began rediscovering the connection that showed so much promise last season.
Atlanta got the ball late in the half with all three timeouts and operated an excellent two-minute drill. London made an important third-down catch, Bijan added another strong run, and Penix eventually found Austin for a touchdown.
Atlanta entered halftime firmly in control.
Green Bay Never Found an Offensive Rhythm
The Packers received the ball to begin the second half with an opportunity to double up and immediately get themselves back into the game.
Instead, Atlanta stopped Green Bay on fourth down.
Turnover on downs.
It was another example of a Packers offense that simply never looked comfortable. Green Bay repeatedly went three-and-out, struggled to sustain drives and failed to generate enough explosive plays to put consistent pressure on Atlanta.
Christian Watson was one of the few bright spots. He made several important catches, including a big third-down conversion, and consistently gave Love an option when Green Bay did manage to move the football.
But there simply wasn’t enough around him.
Atlanta’s Backfield Takes Over
Bijan Robinson was the centerpiece of Atlanta’s offense all night.
He produced explosive plays, including another 30-yard run in the second half, but Atlanta also received quality work from Brian Robinson Jr.
The combination became increasingly difficult for Green Bay to handle. Bijan provided the explosiveness, while Brian Robinson kept churning out tough yards and eventually finished one of Atlanta’s drives with a rushing touchdown.
It was exactly what Atlanta’s offense needed: multiple backs capable of keeping the offense moving without asking Penix to carry everything himself.
Penix Makes This Offense Work
I don’t consider Michael Penix Jr. an elite quarterback, but there is something about this Atlanta offense when he is running it.
The pieces simply seem to fit.
Bijan gets involved. London becomes a major part of the passing game. The offense plays with rhythm, and Penix does enough to distribute the football and allow Atlanta’s playmakers to take over.
Sometimes quarterback play isn’t just about how talented someone is individually. Fit matters.
And Penix looks like he fits this Falcons offense extremely well.
Drake London Goes Off
One of the biggest beneficiaries was Drake London.
London was outstanding throughout the night, repeatedly giving Penix a reliable target on important downs. His slant on third down kept one drive alive, and later he exploded for a 70-yard gain that put Atlanta in position to score again.
A holding penalty and a questionable backwards screen derailed that possession, forcing Atlanta to settle for a field goal, but London wasn’t finished.
In the fourth quarter, he broke loose for another roughly 40-yard gain and ultimately finished with 194 receiving yards.
This was the Penix-to-London connection Atlanta hoped to see.
London will absolutely be in the conversation for this week’s EST Excellence wide receiver rankings.
Bijan Slams the Door
After Green Bay finally found the end zone again on a touchdown to Matthew Golden, Atlanta needed an answer.
They got one.
London ripped off another huge gain, and then the Falcons went right back to their bell cow.
Bijan Robinson scored his second touchdown of the night, restoring Atlanta’s commanding advantage and effectively eliminating any realistic chance of a Green Bay comeback.
Bijan finished the night with more than 200 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, delivering the type of performance expected from one of the NFL’s premier offensive weapons.
Whenever Atlanta needed something, it seemed like Bijan was involved.
Atlanta’s Defense Finishes It
Green Bay continued fighting late, with Watson making back-to-back catches as one of the Packers’ few consistent offensive bright spots.
But Atlanta’s defense eventually put the game away.
Watts initially had an opportunity to intercept Love in the end zone but couldn’t hold onto the football.
He didn’t have to wait long for redemption.
A few plays later, Watts got another opportunity and this time secured the interception, providing the final punctuation mark on a dominant Falcons performance.
Final Thoughts
Falcons 35. Packers 14.
Atlanta looked like a completely different offense from the team we saw struggle through the opening two weeks.
Bijan Robinson was dominant. Drake London exploded for 194 receiving yards. Brian Robinson Jr. complemented Bijan extremely well. Michael Penix Jr. settled down after the early interception and helped the offense find a rhythm that Green Bay never managed to match.
For the Packers, Christian Watson provided some positive moments, but there simply weren’t enough of them. Too many stalled drives, too many three-and-outs and too little sustained offense left Green Bay chasing the game for most of the night.
I picked Atlanta to win this game because I wasn’t convinced Green Bay was as good as advertised.
On Thursday night, the Falcons made that prediction look pretty good.
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