- 1 Green Bay Packers vs Atlanta Falcons: 29 unanswered points, the stat that shapes this matchup
- 2 Green Bay Packers: an attack that moves the ball, a defence that let go
- 3 Atlanta Falcons: 143 passing yards and a third-string quarterback at the helm
- 4 NFL Prediction Green Bay Packers vs Atlanta Falcons
- 5 First, a word on our free picks
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling comes first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the visuals…
Green Bay Packers vs Atlanta Falcons: 29 unanswered points, the stat that shapes this matchup 
Green Bay Packers gave up 29 unanswered points in the second half of their opener in Minneapolis. That 39-22 final is still the biggest number hanging over this Thursday Night Football game.
The Packers were actually up 22-10 in the third quarter. The collapse was total, and it defines the start of their season.
Atlanta, meanwhile, is dealing with a different problem in the most sensitive spot on the field. Tua Tagovailoa missed the opener with an oblique injury, while Michael Penix Jr. is still working back from a torn ACL.
So it was Cooper Rush, third on the depth chart in camp, who started the season opener in Pittsburgh. His line — 12 completions on 22 attempts for 143 yards, one touchdown and two picks — tells the story of the Falcons’ 20-13 defeat.
The game is at Lambeau Field on Thursday 24 September, kicking off at 02:15 Paris time in the night from Thursday to Friday. It is Green Bay’s home opener, complete with the traditional night honouring former players from the franchise.
Atlanta comes in on a short week after hosting Carolina the previous Sunday. Three days to recover, a trip to Wisconsin and a prime-time setting: it is rarely a kind setup for the road team.
The two franchises had not met since Week 2 of the 2023 season. Atlanta won that one 25-24, with Desmond Ridder at the controls against Jordan Love.
Green Bay leads the regular-season series 17-15 and has won its last four home games against the Falcons. That sort of history matters for a team trying to get its season back on track.
It is also the first time these two teams have ever met on a Thursday. That only adds another layer of uncertainty to a game that already feels awkward for the visitors.
Green Bay Packers: an attack that moves the ball, a defence that let go 
Jordan Love finished Week 1 with 21 completions on 42 attempts for 387 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The aerial volume was there, and so was the production for most of the night.
Those 387 passing yards still did not turn into a win. Love was sacked four times in the second half, lost a fumble and threw a late interception.
Christian Watson caught six passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns, including an 81-yard score. He gives this offence instant vertical threat and can punish any coverage that is even a beat slow.
The real issue sits somewhere else. Giving up 29 straight points after leading by 12 points points to a problem with game management and defensive staying power.
Matt LaFleur also played a part in the swing, turning down a Trey Smack field goal after an opponent offside penalty with 13:17 left. The call brought nothing back and only helped the game flip faster.
That matters heading into Thursday: Green Bay has not lacked offence, it has lacked control. Against an attack missing its bearings, the margin for error gets bigger by the minute.
The franchise has reached the playoffs in each of the last three seasons since Love took over as starter. On paper, this is the more complete team by some distance.
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Atlanta Falcons: 143 passing yards and a third-string quarterback at the helm 
Atlanta opened with a 20-13 defeat at Acrisure Stadium. The Falcons managed just 143 passing yards across the whole game.
Cooper Rush threw two interceptions and only one touchdown. That kind of ratio almost automatically drags an offence under 20 points.
Kevin Stefanski described Tua Tagovailoa as week-to-week after his oblique injury. Nothing at this stage suggests the quarterback will be ready for Thursday night.
Michael Penix Jr. is still rehabbing a torn ACL. So the third option on the depth chart has become the first choice by default, and that is where things stand.
Rush was also bothered by back spasms the day before the opener before being cleared to play. His fitness is part of the uncertainty here.
The previews of this matchup keep pointing to Atlanta’s offensive talent, with Bijan Robinson and Drake London as the main pieces. But you still need a quarterback who can get them the ball cleanly, and that was missing in Pittsburgh.
The decisive factor is the short week. Preparing for a trip to Lambeau Field in three days, with a quarterback learning the system on the fly, is a brutal ask.
NFL Prediction Green Bay Packers vs Atlanta Falcons
Our prediction: Green Bay Packers to win with a -6.5-point handicap
The main case rests on Green Bay’s offence. A team that puts up 387 passing yards and scores 22 points in just over three quarters has enough to create a gap against an attack that managed only 143 aerial yards.
The situation backs it up. Atlanta is coming in on a short week, on the road, with a third-string quarterback in charge and two starters unavailable, while Green Bay gets its home opener and has won four straight against the Falcons at Lambeau Field.
There is a risk, and it has a name: the second half in Minneapolis. A defence that gives up 29 straight points can make any lead look fragile, which is why the handicap is the smarter route rather than chasing a correct score.
The price still looks fair and the read points one way. Green Bay wins by at least seven points.
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