The Falcons are heading into Lambeau Field on primetime tomorrow night with Michael Penix Jr. back in the mix, but Atlanta’s best opening may come on the other side of the ball. Green Bay has spent two weeks trying to function without Josh Jacobs, and the results have been ugly.
Jacobs remains on the commissioner’s exempt list after an alleged domestic dispute in which he was charged with two misdemeanors for battery and criminal damage to property. The NFL is still investigating before ruling on a possible suspension, which means he has not played yet this season.
That absence has left the Packers’ ground game without a real engine. Through two games, Green Bay sits last in the NFL in rushing yards per game at 64.5, is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry, and still hasn’t found the end zone on the ground. The numbers get even worse from a possession-by-possession standpoint: the Packers are also dead last in offensive EPA per rush at -0.43.
For Atlanta, that’s where the matchup starts to tilt. The Falcons have been excellent against the run through two weeks, allowing just 63.0 rushing yards per game, the best mark in the league. Their -0.29 defensive EPA per rush ranks second in the NFL, behind only the Las Vegas Raiders.
That’s a sharp turn from what Atlanta showed last season, and the personnel has clearly made a difference. Brandon Dorlus has looked as good as ever, Maason Smith has already made his presence felt, and both Divine Deablo and Kendal Daniels have stepped up in this area. Even better for the Falcons, Green Bay’s current backs, Kaleb Johnson and MarShawn Lloyd, haven’t looked more dangerous than the RB1s Atlanta has already handled in Jaylen Warren and Chuba Hubbard.
The problem for Green Bay goes beyond simply missing Jacobs, though. He gives the Packers the kind of short-yardage force they don’t currently have, a back who can keep drives alive and churn out yards after contact. Without him, the rest of the operation has been exposed.
The offensive line has played its part in the collapse. Green Bay will be without star OT Zach Bako-Bewele for the rest of the season, Aaron Banks has been bad, and starting Jacob Monk and Anthony Belton at RG and RT has not helped matters. That combination has made life difficult for Lloyd and Johnson whether Jacobs is available or not.
Freddie Boston, a Packers expert at Lombardi Ave, said the issues have shown up in the backs themselves too.
"MarShawn Lloyd made some bad reads against the Jets and missed some potentially big gains," Boston said. "Vision might be his biggest issue right now. Kaleb Johnson looked more threatening."
Atlanta still has work to do against Jordan Love and the passing game, particularly without A.J. Terrell, but the Falcons don’t need to solve everything at once. If they can shut down the Packers’ run game on early downs and in short-yardage spots, they give themselves a real shot at pulling off the upset, especially with Jeff Ulbrich’s pass rush creating pressure the way it has.
In Other News...
Falcons QB Mess Just Sparked A Wild Veteran Debate
The quarterback picture in Atlanta has already turned into one of the leagues early talking points this season, with Tua Tagovailoa sidelined by injury and Cooper Rush having a rough opening stretch in the first two games. For a team trying to settle its offense before the schedule gets any tougher, the uncertainty under center has become impossible to ignore.
Robert Griffin III poured fuel on the conversation with a public critique of the situation, then floated a list of veteran free agents he believes could bring some stability, including himself, Cam Newton, Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Tannehill. Griffins name is the one that sent social media into overdrive, even though he has not appeared in a regular-season game since 2020, and the debate now says as much about Atlantas quarterback frustration as it does about any actual reunion talk. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Offense May Finally Get The Jolt Its Core Needs
After a rocky opening to the 2026 season, the Falcons are getting close to a much-needed reset under center. Michael Penix Jr. is expected back as the starter in Week 3, a development that could finally give Atlantas offense a steadier rhythm after Cooper Rush was forced into early action and struggled to move the group consistently.
That matters because this is not a roster short on core talent. Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts are all locked in on long-term contracts, giving Atlanta a foundation worth building around if the quarterback play stabilizes. Even with Penix's return offering some hope, the bigger picture still points toward 2027, when the Falcons may need to find their long-term answer at quarterback for good. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Face A Bigger QB Problem Than Just Cooper Rush
Cooper Rushs two starts have already pushed the Falcons into an uncomfortable spot at quarterback. Since stepping in because of injuries elsewhere on the depth chart, he has managed only one touchdown against four interceptions, and the benching in Week 2 made it clear the team is not getting the kind of control it needs from the position. More than the numbers, the concern is how much the offense has had to shrink around him, with the coaching staff appearing to trim the playbook rather than ask him to do too much.
The bigger issue is what comes next if Atlanta keeps looking for stability under center. Rushs struggles are not just a short-term problem for the Falcons, they may also ripple beyond their own building by changing how teams view veteran quarterbacks with a similar skill set. If Atlanta cannot get cleaner play from the position soon, the conversation will shift from one backup filling in to whether the Falcons have to rethink the entire way theyre managing the quarterback room. [Read more 🡒]