Why the Falcons Find a Silver Lining in Short Week After Panthers Disaster

What a perfectly timed Thursday Night Football game for the Atlanta Falcons.

When the Falcons (0-2) roll into Lambeau Stadium to face the Green Bay Packers (1-1) on Sept. 24, it’ll provide an opportunity to wash a sour taste out of their mouths from a 34-3 home loss to the Carolina Panthers last Sunday.

“I mean, that’s a great way to look at it,” said Falcons cornerback Mike Hughes. “Either way, we’ve got to look at ourselves in the mirror and fix that for future reference. It’s always good to have a short week, get back to work, and forget this one.”

Week 2 was a nightmare for Atlanta – and its fans.

The Falcons played some uninspiring football against their division rival, the Panthers, who have owned the recent head-to-head NFC South rivalry clashes.

Making headlines was the performance of Atlanta quarterback Cooper Rush, who fumbled the football on the game’s first play and threw two interceptions before being booed by hometown fans and getting benched for undrafted rookie Jack Strand.

“In a week like this, it’s hard playing in four days,” Rush said. “But it’s also kind of a blessing. We’ll be chomping at the bit as a group.”

Rush may be “chomping at the bit.”

But he probably won’t step foot onto Lambeau Field this Thursday.

Michael Penix Jr. has been announced as the Falcons’ starting quarterback for the Thursday Night primetime NFL game. Penix is returning from his partially torn left ACL and could offer some hope for Atlanta’s ongoing quarterback question.

Though the Falcons may be compressed into two games in four days and have to travel across the country, they will have a fresh quarterback who could help them turn around their season from a winless start.

But the Falcons must have short-term memory from the Panthers thrashing.

Additionally, they must make a few quick adjustments to prepare for one of the NFC’s perennial playoff teams. That includes increasing touches for stars like wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. to complement workhorse running back Bijan Robinson. Defensively, the Falcons must find their best rotation after some up-and-down performances from Week 1 against the Steelers and a dropoff in Week 2 versus Carolina.

Atlanta pursues its first victory under new head coach Kevin Stefanski against Green Bay. The Packers are coming off a 20-17 win over the New York Jets.

Falcons-Packers Week 3 game kicks off at 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time. Prime Video will televise the game as the Falcons begin their first of three consecutive primetime games.

Sign up for our free Atlanta Falcons newsletter and follow us and 30,000 Falcons fans on Facebook and X for the latest news!

Add us as a preferred source on Google