The Green Bay Packers squandered a chance to start the 2023 season at 2-0 when Matt LaFleur’s team gave up a 12-point fourth-quarter lead and lost 25-24 to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Instead of flying home to Green Bay with two impressive road victories, the Packers must regroup and flush a bad loss before next week’s home opener against the New Orleans Saints.
Buy Packers TicketsHere’s the good, the bad and the ugly from the Packers’ Week 2 loss to the Falcons:
The Good
Third-quarter offense: For the second straight week, the Packers produced back-to-back touchdown drives to open the second half. The offense marched 65 yards for a score on the first drive of the third quarter and then went 78 yards in just four plays on the next possession, turning a 10-9 lead at half time into a 24-12 advantage entering the fourth quarter. Jordan Love threw touchdown passes to Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed in the third quarter.
Zero turnovers: For the second straight week, the Packers didn’t have a turnover. Jordan Love threw a near-interception in the fourth quarter but the offense otherwise played a clean game. Over 21 drives to start the 2023 season, the Packers still haven’t turned the ball over.
Rookie receivers: Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks combined for three touchdown receptions, and both rookies scored their first touchdowns on Sunday. Reed continues to look explosive in space, and Wicks made an impressive play to wiggle open and win after the catch.
The Bad
Run defense: The Packers gave up 211 rushing yards. Although the run defense was fine against Tyler Allgeier (3.9 yards per carry), rookie Bijan Robinson averaged 6.5 yards per carry and finished with 124 rushing yards, and Desmond Ridder rushed for 39 yards and a score.
Elgton Jenkins injury: The Packers left guard is believed to have suffered an injury to his MCL in the first half. Expect him to miss multiple weeks moving forward. Instead of having Jenkins and David Bakhtiari on the left side of the offensive line, the Packers rolled with a combination of Rasheed Walker and Yosh Nijman at left tackle and Royce Newman at left guard.
Missed opportunities early: The Packers got a 44-yard defensive pass interference penalty but didn’t score on the offense’s opening possession. One drive later, the Packers failed to score after Rasul Douglas’ interception. A chance for a fast start was squandered.
Run game: The Packers run game was disappointing once again. Not having Aaron Jones obviously hurt, but A.J. Dillon, Emanuel Wilson and Patrick Taylor combined for 19 rushes for just 61 yards. Dillon’s start in place of Jones was especially disappointing. He averaged only 3.7 yards per carry.
Third, fourth down: The Falcons converted nine times on third or fourth down. The Packers were only 3-for-10 on third or fourth down. It’s no wonder why the Falcons ran 78 plays to the Packers’ 47. Green Bay allowed three fourth-down conversions, including a pivotal conversion by Desmond Ridder on 4th-and-goal with the Packers leading 24-12.
The Ugly
The fourth quarter: The Packers offense failed to pick up a first down, Jordan Love failed to complete a pass and messed up a quarterback sneak, the defense failed to prevent a scoring drive and gave up three explosive passing plays and the special teams gave up 31 yards of field position with a penalty and poor coverage, which all contributed to a three-phased collapse in which the Packers gave up a 12-point lead and lost a winnable game. Matt LaFleur’s team needed just one player to step up and make a play over the final 15 minutes, but it never came. The Falcons dominated. If the Packers let a playoff spot slip away late in the season, this loss will be one to remember.
