Packers Report Card: How Many ‘F’ Grades In Flop Against Falcons?

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The report card is in, and the Green Bay Packers are really up against it at this point. Through three weeks, the Packers are 1-2, and really fortunate to have that one win.

They collapsed in the second half with a lead against the Minnesota Vikings and wound up getting snowed under 39-22. They trailed 17-7 in the second half against the New York Jets before clawing their way to a 20-17 victory in overtime.

On Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field, they had a chance to put together a solid performance in their home opener to get to 2-1 and feel good about things despite not playing their best brand of football.

Green Bay, however, followed up its comeback victory with what can only be described as a mess of a performance.

The Packers scored first to lead 7-0 but fell apart after that. The Falcons scored 24 unanswered points to bring out the boobirds from the Lambeau faithful.

Green Bay’s offense was anemic. Jordan Love was under siege. On the rare occasions he had time to throw, his ball placement was spotty again. It’s fair to wonder if the beating he’s taken early in the season has taken its toll.

The defense, which had been mostly good in the first two games, wilted against Atlanta’s dynamic backfield.

The final result? A blowout loss at the hands of a team that had been beaten 34-3 on its home field four days prior. With a 1-2 record, the Packers will have a sour taste in their mouths and 10 days to find answers.

Here’s our weekly report card, which is almost as ugly as the game that was on the field.

Pass Offense

Green Bay’s offensive line has used three left guards and two right tackles in three games. There are some injury reasons for that, obviously, but that game of musical chairs is typically deadly for any offense.

Anthony Belton struggled at right tackle in his first start. Jordan Morgan played better at left tackle but still was not great. Jacob Monk really struggled at right guard before leaving with an injury.

According to PFF, the guards gave up 13 pressures between them, with left guard Jager Burton giving up a team-high seven in his first career start. Both tackles gave up three pressures apiece. Sean Rhyan gave up the fewest pressures among the linemen with two; combined with Monk and Burton, the interior gave up an appalling 15.

When Love is under pressure, it’s coming quick. According to Next Gen Stats, the Falcons recorded 15 quick pressures. That’s the second-most in any game this season behind the 17 allowed by the Packers at Minnesota in Week 1.

According to @NextGenStats, the Falcons defense recorded 15 quick pressures vs Green Bay tonight, 2nd most in any game this season.

The most was 17—which the Vikings defense put up against Green Bay.
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) September 25, 2026

Even when Love has time to throw, Green Bay’s passing offense has really struggled since the start of the fourth quarter against Minnesota. Their possession passing game is not consistent enough. Their play-action game is nonexistent thanks to the lack of a run game. When they try to throw the ball down the field, Love is forced to move off his spot or throws up a prayer that has little chance of being answered.

The Packers have no run game through three weeks. Any defensive coordinator will tell you they love to go against a one-dimensional offense.

Green Bay’s offense might be zero-dimensional right now. They cannot run it – more on that in a bit – and, when they have to throw it, they’re not good enough individually at the skill positions to win consistently in the straight dropback passing game.

That’s a tough way to live, and the Packers are learning that the hard way through three weeks.

Grade: D-Minus.

Rush Offense

What is left to say about this group that has not already been said? Whether it’s been Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd or Kaleb Johnson, they’ve found little success though three weeks.

The game against Atlanta might have been the worst of them all.

The run game is similar to the pass game. When there are holes to run through, running backs miss them or inexplicably run away from them. That’s on the rare occasions there is room to run. Lloyd and Johnson finished with 17 yards on eight carries.

Sure, the Falcons came into Thursday’s game with the best run defense in football. It was always going to be tough sledding against them. For this Packers team, it’s tough sledding against anyone.

The lack of a run game kills any opportunity for play-action passing. It kills any opportunity to stay ahead of the sticks. Frankly, it kills Matt LaFleur’s offense that wants to tie everything to the run game.

For a big-picture look at how poor the run game has been, the Packers have run for 146 yards through three games. That’s their lowest total since 1933, according to ESPN Research. For comparison’s sake, Bijan Robinson ran for 167 yards in the first three quarters.

The illusion of complexity is what LaFleur likes to call the ability to make every play look the same. Right now, any idea that the Packers have a competent offense is nothing more than an illusion.

Grade: F.

Pass Defense

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) passes the ball against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Green Bay did have to deal with an unknown with Michael Penix Jr. getting the start at quarterback instead of Cooper Rush or Jack Strand. In his season debut following last year’s ACL tear, Penix gave the Falcons competence under center, which they did not have in the first two weeks of the season.

Penix struggled at times, especially early in the game when the Packers’ pressure packages were getting in his face.

After a roughing-the-passer penalty on Brenton Cox in the first half, however, Penix appeared to settle into the game.

His biggest play of the game came in the fourth quarter with the Falcons leading 24-7. He hit receiver Drake London, who blew by rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse for a 68-yard reception that ultimately netted the Falcons a field goal.

London finished the night with 194 receiving yards.

Penix shook off an early interception to Xavier McKinney and began dicing up Green Bay’s hapless secondary from there. After the first quarter, he was 16-of-18 for 234 yards.

The pass rush for the Packers was nonexistent as their defense was completely off-balance thanks to the prowess of Atlanta’s run game.

By the end of the night, the Packers could not stop the run or the pass.

Other than that, Jonathan Gannon, how was the play?

Grade: D-Minus.

Rush Defense

Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Chris McClellan (55) is blocked from tackling Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Thursday’s game was a chance for the Packers to prove their run defense through the first two games was not a mirage. They could make a statement against Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson, who is one of the best backs in football.

It took Robinson one quarter to surpass any rushing total the Packers had allowed to an individual rusher this season, as he had 73 yards in the first quarter alone. He would top the century mark in the first half as he ran around, over and through Green Bay’s hapless defense, which had no answers on how to slow him down.

Robinson finished the night with 194 rushing yards with a 6.7-yard average and two touchdowns. The Falcons finished with 244 rushing yards, which was about triple what the Packers had allowed entering the game.

If this was a test, well, we will let you figure out how the Packers fared.

Grade: F.

Special Teams

A good week last week for Green Bay’s special teams was followed by one enormous mistake against Atlanta.

With about 4 minutes left in the second quarter, Trey Smack jogged onto the field for a 47-yard field goal that would have tied the game 10-10.

With the way the first half was going, it almost felt like fate, but Smack’s kick was blocked by Zach Harrison. To further add to the insult, the Falcons only had 10 players on the field. Then again, Anthony Belton was so slow off the ball that it was like the Packers only had 10, as well.

The blocked field goal led to a touchdown drive by the Falcons to take a 17-7 lead into the half.

The return game did not find much room to run. Kick coverage was relatively nondescript throughout the night, as well. Of Daniel Whelan’s five punts, four pinned the Falcons inside the 20.

The blocked kick was a massive mistake by one of Green Bay’s starters, and that drags the grade down.

Grade: D.

Coaching

Does Matt LaFleur have any answers at this point? To be clear, not everything happening on the field is his fault. The offensive line was not built by him. The lack of depth behind the shaky starters is not LaFleur’s fault.

He’s not dropping passes. He’s not missing checks. He’s not running into defenders when there are blockers in different spots in the run game.

Still, this is his offense, and everything they do looks like performing a root canal. LaFleur quipped after the game that he did not know what his team does well on offense. Neither does anyone else who is watching.

Nothing comes easy. The same problems have persisted since the first week of the season. Frankly, some of the issues date back to last season, but that’s a different discussion for another day.

It was LaFleur’s job to right the ship after last season ended in disaster. It’s his job now to right the ship after the Packers opened the season in a 1-2 hole and looking nothing like the contender they were alleged to be before the season began.

The buck stops with him. This team is not good enough. LaFleur has 10 days to start working on some answers.

Grade: D-Minus.

The Packers gave Matt LaFleur a contract extension.

It's time to show he's worth it. ⬇️https://t.co/hFNAE0xRiQ
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 25, 2026

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