How to Watch and Prediction: Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers will play the Atlanta Falcons at 8 p.m. Monday, 35 minutes later than originally scheduled and another 10 minutes later than the rescheduled time.

That’s because the NFL on Sunday morning rescheduled the New England Patriots at Kansas City Chiefs game to 6:05 p.m. Monday. That game was scheduled to be played Sunday but was postponed after Patriots quarterback Cam Newton and the Chiefs’ practice squad quarterback tested positive for COVID-19. No other members of the teams have tested positive following two days of testing, so the NFL pushed that game back a day. As a consequence, the NFL pushed back the kickoff of the Packers’ game.

CBS will air the Patriots-Chiefs game. ESPN will televise Packers-Falcons.

Hot to Watch

ESPN: Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters (field reporter)

How to Listen

Packer Radio Network (50 stations in four states): Wayne Larrivee, Larry McCarren and John Kuhn (sideline).

Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner

Sirius: 81 (Atl), 83 (GB) | XM: 226 (Atl), 225 (GB)

Worth Knowing

The Line: Packers by 6, which is down after Davante Adams announced that he is being held out by the medical staff. Bettors love the over.

Referee: Carl Cheffers

Series: Packers lead all-time series, 16-14

Streaks: The Falcons have won two of the past three.

Last game: The Packers won 34-20 at Lambeau Field on Dec. 9, 2018. Green Bay took a commanding 34-7 lead on Aaron Rodgers’ two touchdown passes and Bashaud Breeland’s pick-six to give Joe Philbin a win in his interim coaching debut.

Injury Reports

Adams, cornerback Jaire Alexander, defensive tackle Kenny Clark, center Corey Linsley and outside linebacker Za'Darius Smith are among nine players listed as questionable for the Packers. The Falcons will be without two of their top defenders, defensive end Takk McKinley and safety Keanu Neal. Plus, two cornerbacks are on reserve lists (Darqueze Dennard, IR; A.J. Terrell, COVID-19).

The Quarterbacks

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers passed for 283 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 124.9 rating last week. He has 2,165 passing yards (309.3 per game) with 17 touchdowns vs. two interceptions for 111.1 rating in seven career starts vs. Atlanta. That includes eight touchdowns, one interception and a 112.2 rating in three career home starts.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who is third in the NFL in passing yards this season, has passed for 262 yards and three touchdowns with one interception for a 97.5 rating in the last meeting. He has 11 TDs vs. four INTs for a 98.2 rating in in four career starts against Green Bay. He’s thrown at least two touchdown passes in each of those starts.

Touchdown Machine

Packers running back Aaron Jones – he of the Aaron Jones Touchdown Squares cereal – has five touchdowns in three games. That puts him on pace for 26.7 touchdowns – slightly above last year’s league-leading total of 19.

“I definitely think it is” doable, he said. “When you play in a great offense, the opportunities will come. So, I know those opportunities will come and you have to cash in on it when it does come. I left some out there early on in the first three so I’ve got to make up for those.”

Prediction

In the 2016 regular-season game at Atlanta, then-coach Mike McCarthy's inactives list was dizzying. Receiver Randall Cobb, tight end Jared Cook, running backs Ty Montgomery and James Starks, outside linebacker Clay Matthews and cornerbacks Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins were out. That left Green Bay with Jordy Nelson, Jeff Janis and Trevor Davis at receiver, and the defense without three key factors to stop the pass. Green Bay hung in there but didn't have the horses to get a key stop, or to answer, and lost 33-32.

Tonight's game has the same sort of flavor. Without receivers Davante Adams and Allen Lazard, who will make plays for Aaron Rodgers? According to NFL Network, defensive tackle Kenny Clark and outside linebacker Rashan Gary are unlikely to play, as well.

Yes, the Falcons are 0-3 and they'll be down at least four starters on defense. But great players win games, and it's a mismatch at receiver with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley vs. Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Darrius Shepherd. Final score: Falcons 37, Packers 24. (Record: 3-0).

Countdown to Kickoff

Five Days: Five Keys to the Game

Four Days: Four Items from Inside the Falcons

Three Days: Three Reasons to Worry

Two Days: Two X-Factors

One Day: One Giant Notebook

New role for Preston Smith and new position for Oren Burks

Rodgers and LaFleur: Go with the Flow

Shepherd: Second Chance

Tackling: Taking Deeper Look

Sportsbooks: ‘Shocked’ by Packers

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