The Packers’ return to Lambeau Field turned sour fast Thursday night, and the final numbers told the whole story. Atlanta left Green Bay with a 35-14 win, handing the Packers a 1-2 record and snapping a 13-game home-opener winning streak that had run since 2013.
Green Bay got on the board first and never really found its footing after that. Jordan Love finished 28 of 53 for 312 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, but the Packers could barely move the ball on the ground.
They finished with just 17 rushing yards, while Atlanta piled up 242. The Falcons also controlled the clock, holding possession for 37:05 to Green Bay’s 22:55.
Bijan Robinson was the centerpiece of Atlanta’s offense, carrying 29 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns. Drake London matched that production through the air, catching nine passes for 194 yards.
Michael Penix Jr., back from a torn ACL, made his season debut and went 18-of-25 for 256 yards. Atlanta’s defense and game control kept Green Bay chasing most of the night.
The Packers did have two bright moments through the air. Love hit Christian Watson on a 4-yard touchdown to open the game, then later connected with Matthew Golden for a 15-yard score that cut it to 27-14.
But those were the only trips to the end zone. A blocked field goal and a failed fourth-down try in the red zone wasted other chances, and boos started to roll once Atlanta answered Green Bay’s early lead with 27 straight points.
The offensive line issues were impossible to miss. With starters out, Green Bay never opened up real running lanes, and Atlanta’s front generated pressure on 42 percent of dropbacks. That left Love in obvious passing situations for much of the second half.
The official numbers underscored the gap:
Total yards: Packers 329, Falcons 498
Rushing yards: Packers 17, Falcons 242
Time of possession: Packers 22:55, Falcons 37:05
Third-down: Packers 6-of-15, Falcons 6-of-10
After the game, longtime Packers supporter Lil Wayne took to X and wrote: “Mensah would look great in green n yellow”
Mensah would look great in green n yellow
- Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) September 25, 2026
The post drew quick reactions. SlackPacks replied, “We don’t have a first round Weezy,” a nod to Green Bay having traded its 2027 first-round pick. Gabe Carimi added, “Wow lil Wayne throwing Jordan love out!”
Wow lil Wayne throwing Jordan love out!
- Gabe Carimi (@GabeCarimi) September 25, 2026
Some fans pointed the finger at the offensive line instead of the quarterback. Either way, the Packers don’t have a simple fix sitting at the top of next spring’s draft.
Green Bay’s next chance comes Sunday, Oct. 4, at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If the run game stays stuck in neutral, Love will be dealing with the same kind of obvious passing downs all over again.
In Other News...
Al Michaels Turned A Falcons Broadcast Into A Michael Penix Joke
Al Michaels had a brief but noticeable slip during Thursday nights Falcons-Packer matchup, and it landed in a place Atlanta fans know well: around Michael Penix Jr.s college path. While talking about the quarterback on the broadcast, Michaels mistakenly said Penix spent two years at Oregon after starting at Indiana, before quickly correcting himself and noting that Penix actually played at Washington instead.
The correction mattered because Washington is a rival of Oregon, and the mix-up did not go unnoticed. Fans immediately lit into the error on social media, turning a simple broadcast miss into another talking point around Penix, who has already been under a brighter spotlight as Atlantas quarterback situation continues to draw scrutiny. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Fans Will Love How Stefanski Closed Out Green Bay
Kevin Stefanskis late decision against Green Bay fit the kind of aggressive edge Falcons fans have been waiting to see. With Atlanta sitting on a comfortable lead, he opted to go for two instead of settling for the extra point, pushing the margin to 21 and making the math even tougher on the Packers in the final stretch.
It was a fitting cap to a strong all-around afternoon for Atlanta, with Bijan Robinson powering the ground game for 194 yards and two touchdowns and Michael Penix Jr. adding 256 passing yards and a score. The choice also showed clear awareness of what Jordan Love could still theoretically do, but it left Green Bay needing a very specific sequence it could no longer realistically put together. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Penix Jr. Already Put Falcons Fans On Edge In Debut
Michael Penix Jr. stepped into the Falcons starting quarterback job in their 2026 season debut on Thursday night against the Packers, and the opening minutes gave Atlanta fans plenty to feel all at once. Penix was intercepted on the first drive, but the Falcons settled in quickly enough to answer Green Bays early touchdown pass from Jordan Love, with Bijan Robinson sparking the offense on a 55-yard run and later finding the end zone on the ground.
Atlantas response turned the mood in the building fast, especially once Penix connected with Austin Hooper for a touchdown pass and the Falcons pushed out to a 17-7 lead late in the second quarter. For a quarterback making his first start, the early turnover was the kind of jolt that can linger, but the way the Falcons steadied themselves around him suggested this debut was going to be watched closely all night. [Read more 🡒]