Falcons End Winless Streak with Dominant 35-14 Upset of Packers at Lambeau
Developing story first seen 1 hour ago
The Atlanta Falcons ended their winless start to the season with a dominant 35–14 victory over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Thursday night, despite having been soundly defeated 34–3 by the Carolina Panthers the previous week. After Green Bay took an early lead through a Christian Watson touchdown, Atlanta responded with a devastating 27 unanswered points, prompted partly by quarterback Michael Penix Jr's return from knee surgery. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged the comprehensive nature of the defeat, describing it as a "butt-whooping" as his own fans booed the home side.
The Falcons dominated offensively with 498 total yards, including 242 rushing yards, whilst the Packers managed just 328 yards with only 17 yards from nine rushing attempts. Running back Bijan Robinson led Atlanta's attack with two touchdowns and 194 rushing yards, whilst wide receiver Drake London accumulated 194 receiving yards from nine catches. Four Falcons players reached the endzone, and kicker Nick Folk added two field goals to secure the emphatic win. Both teams now stand at 1–2 in the season standings, with Green Bay visiting Tampa Bay next Sunday and Atlanta travelling to divisional rivals New Orleans on Monday.
- Falcons routed Packers 35–14, ending winless streak despite prior 34–3 loss
- Bijan Robinson rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns
- Packers managed just 17 rushing yards on nine carries
New here? Start with this
The Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers are teams in the National Football League, the highest level of professional American football in the United States. The Falcons entered this week having lost their first two games of the season, including a 34-3 defeat to the Carolina Panthers the previous week. On Thursday night, the Falcons defeated the Packers 35-14 at Lambeau Field, the Packers' home stadium.
The Packers are one of the league's most established and respected teams, and Lambeau Field is known as one of the most difficult venues for visiting teams to win. The Falcons' win therefore represents a significant reversal after their heavy defeat the previous week. Both teams now have identical records of one win and two losses.
The Falcons' success was built on strong performances from running back Bijan Robinson, who gained 194 yards and scored twice, and quarterback Michael Penix Jr, who recently returned from knee surgery. The Packers' team managed considerably less yardage and scoring. The performance gap between the two sides was evident throughout the match.
Coverage