Michael Penix Jr. returned from a torn ACL to throw for 256 yards, while Bijan Robinson rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns, powering the Atlanta Falcons to a dominant 35-14 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night at Lambeau Field.
Penix Return and Offensive Spark
Michael Penix Jr. did not play in Atlanta’s first two games of the season as he continued recovering from the left ACL tear he suffered last November against Carolina (according to The Guardian) during a loss on November 16 (reported by Yahoo Sports).
That changed on Thursday night in Green Bay. Penix completed 18 of 25 passes for 256 yards with one touchdown and one interception (as reported by Reuters). After starting the game 1-of-5 with an interception, Penix settled into a rhythm and completed 17 of his final 20 pass attempts (noted by NBC Sports). His steady play helped Atlanta erase an early deficit and put up 27 consecutive points.
“I’m proud of him,” Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said. “It’s not easy to rehab from injuries. That’s a tough thing to do, that he’s put himself through – the extra workouts in the weight room, the extra treatments in the training room, all those times that he’s out in the field and he’s running when no one’s watching.”
Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta Falcons coach, via Orange County Register
Robinson and London Run Wild at Lambeau Field
Bijan Robinson overwhelmed the Green Bay defense, carrying the ball 29 times for 194 yards and two scores while outrushing the Packers by a staggering 242 yards to 17 (noted by The Guardian). Robinson’s performance included long runs of 55 and 31 yards, finishing just one yard shy of his career high set in 2025 against the Rams (noted by Reuters).
Through the first two weeks of the season, the Atlanta offense had failed to run a single play inside an opponent’s 20-yard line, making them the first team since the 2008 Rams to open a season without a red-zone snap (reported by The Guardian). Robinson changed that dynamic immediately, breaking free for a 55-yard run in the first quarter that set up his own 3-yard touchdown after a roughing-the-passer penalty extended the drive.
“That was the weight off the shoulders – just getting back to the red zone,” Robinson said. “And we knew we had to punch it in every opportunity we get when we get down there. That was the main focus – to get the ball down there and let’s put the ball in the end zone. When we scored, it was definitely something we enjoyed, and we kept on doing it.”
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons running back, via Orange County Register
Robinson and teammate Drake London made history as the first teammates to each compile at least 150 yards from scrimmage against the Packers at Lambeau Field (according to The Guardian)—and reaching at least 190 yards from scrimmage in a road game since Lawrence McCutcheon and Ron Jessie did it for the Rams at Miami on October 3, 1976 (according to Orange County Register)—with London hauling in nine receptions for a career-high 194 yards (reported by Reuters).
Packers Streak Ends Amid Penalties and Injuries
The loss dropped Green Bay to 1-2 and snapped a historic streak, handing the Packers their first home-opener defeat since falling to the San Francisco 49ers in 2012. Green Bay had won 13 consecutive home openers from 2013 to 2025, sharing the NFL record with the Miami Dolphins’ streak from 1976 to 1988 (noted by Reuters).
Quarterback Jordan Love finished 28 of 53 for 312 yards with two touchdowns and one interception (detailed by Reuters). Love operated behind a depleted offensive line missing left guard Aaron Banks (toe injury) and right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele, who tore his patellar tendon on Sunday and will miss the remainder of the season (reported by The Guardian). Rookie fifth-round pick Jager Burton made his first career start at left guard, while 2025 second-round pick Anthony Belton started at right tackle (noted by The Guardian).
Penalty issues that plagued Green Bay through the first two weeks reappeared on Thursday (according to The Guardian), adding to an NFL-high 26 penalties committed across their opening two games.
Schedule Outlook
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