Studs and Duds With Packers Losing at Halftime to Falcons

GREEN BAY, Wis. – What a difference a quarterback makes.

With Michael Penix making his first start this season, the winless Atlanta Falcons dominated the Green Bay Packers for a 17-7 halftime lead on Thursday night at Lambeau Field.

The Packers struck first, but the Falcons scored the final 17 points a touchdown run by Bijan Robinson and a touchdown pass by Penix. In between, the Falcons blocked a field goal and completely stymied the Packers’ hit-and-miss offense.

The score was tied 7-7 after the first quarter. Jordan Love threw a touchdown pass to Christian Watson for Green Bay to open the scoring.

The Packers are 1-of-6 on third down. They’ve thrown 19 passes and run the ball five times.

The Falcons entered the game averaging a league-worst 8.0 points per game.

Here are some early studs and duds

Dud: Packers Cleats

This was a vintage primetime game at Lambeau Field, with multiple players slip-sliding away. The home team should have the advantage given the players’ (and the equipment staff’s) familiarity with the conditions. Instead, far more Packers players ended up on their butts than Falcons.

Stud: Falcons RB Bijan Robinson

Usually, we don’t focus on the other team, but Bijan Robinson is in his first-team All-Pro form. On a 10-yard run on the Falcons’ go-ahead drive in the second quarter, the Packers had it perfectly defended against most running backs. Instead, Robinson stutter-stepped and gained 10.

In the first half, he had 15 carries for 111 yards and one touchdown and one catch for 17 yards. That’s 118 total yards. The Packers finished the half with 108.

Dud: Packers Run Defense

Green Bay entered the game ranked eighth with 87.0 rushing yards allowed per game and second with 2.85 yards allowed per carry. The Falcons ran for 139 yards with a 7.0-yard average.

Dud: Field-Goal Protection

The Packers had a chance to tie the score at 10 but the Falcons’ Zach Harrison blocked Trey Smack’s field goal. Anthony Belton, Green Bay’s starting right tackle, was slow out of his stance.

Stud: Edge Lukas Van Ness

After the Packers took a 7-0 lead, Lukas Van Ness stormed around veteran left tackle Jake Matthews and spun Michael Penix to the turf for what would have been a sack had Penix not tossed the ball to the turf. The result was intentional grounding and a loss of 10 to set up third-and-11.

Dud: Edge Brenton Cox

With the Packers having taken a 7-0 lead and Lukas Van Ness forcing the grounding penalty, the Falcons faced third-and-11. Brenton Cox got good interior pressure on a three-man rush but hit Michael Penix high. It wasn’t significant contact but rules are rules. You can’t hit the quarterback around the helmet. The 15-yard penalty turned into a touchdown moments later after Bijan Robinson ran for 55 and then the 3-yard touchdown.

On the 55-yarder, Edgerrin Cooper was blocked at the line of scrimmage, Evan Williams took a bad angle and Keisean Nixon slipped on Robinson’s cutback. On the touchdown, Robinson cut inside of Lukas Van Ness.

Stud: Safeties

The Packers’ best position group this season has been their safeties. Atlanta’s first possession ended with an interception by Xavier McKinney, who looked like the intended receiver. Atlanta’s second possession ended with a third-and-11 incompletion, with Evan Williams’ blitz forcing a wayward throw.

Stud: WR Matthew Golden

On third-and-11 on Green Bay’s second possession, Jordan Love went deep to Matthew Golden. The ball was floating over Golden’s outside shoulder, so he made a late adjustment to make a juggling catch for 45 yards against cornerback Mike Hughes.

Later, Golden beat Hughes and drew a 34-yard penalty for interference. Golden drew two interference flags during last week’s win against the Jets. He did drop a pass late in the half.

Stud and Dud: WR Christian Watson

After Matthew Golden’s big catch, Christian Watson was flagged for holding. That’s two weeks in a row for Watson. The Packers survived, though, thanks to a nifty screen to MarShawn Lloyd and a personal foul that overcame the 10-yard penalty. The payoff came on a 4-yard touchdown pass to Watson.

To start Green Bay’s first possession of the second quarter, Watson trotted into the middle to block a safety but whiffed.

Dud: Jager Burton (At the Start)

Rookie Jager Burton got the start at left guard in place of Aaron Banks and instead of Donovan Jennings. After Xavier McKinney intercepted Michael Penix to start the game, Jordan Love missed the mark on an out to Christian Watson. Maason Smith’s pressure against Burton helped produce the incompletion. Then, on fourth-and-4, the Packers might not have actually run a play, but Burton was guilty of a false start.

Dud: Impact Plays

The Packers got the first big play on Xavier McKinney’s interception, but the Falcons have five quarterback hits and six passes defensed compared to one quarterback hit and two passes defensed for the Packers.

The Packers are hoping to set an NFL record tonight.

Will they? Here are our predictions. ⬇️https://t.co/29vOKZW6K2
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 24, 2026

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