The Green Bay Packers are going back on the road in Week 2 to play the Atlanta Falcons, a somewhat uncommon opponent who has faced the Packers only twice in the last five years. Green Bay most recently beat Atlanta 30-16 at Lambeau Field in 2020.
Like the Packers, Arthur Smith’s team is 1-0 after a big divisional win in Week 1. The Falcons used three total touchdowns from Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier to take down Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers in the season opener at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
Buy Packers TicketsCan the Packers score a second straight road win, or will the Falcons start the season 2-0 at home?
First things first, let’s get to know the Falcons.
Matt Urben, the managing editor at Falcons Wire, helped preview Green Bay’s opponent in Week 2 by recapping Week 1 in Atlanta and looking ahead to Sunday:
Week 1 recap
The Falcons defeated the Panthers in Week 1 for their first season-opening victory in five years. Sunday’s game got off to a slow start as neither offense could do much of anything in the first quarter. Ultimately, it was Atlanta’s defense that got the job done. Safety Jessie Bates III forced three turnovers (two interceptions and a forced fumble) and running back Tyler Allgeier’s two second-half touchdowns sealed the team’s 24-10 win over Carolina.
What went right, what went wrong in Week 1
The best thing about the Falcons Week 1 win was the contributions of the team’s offseason additions. Bates won NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his stellar performance. First-round pick Bijan Robinson lived up to the hype in his NFL debut, rushing for 56 yards and catching six passes for 27 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Panthers.
On the flip side, Atlanta’s poor offensive showing should be cause for concern. Quarterback Desmond Ridder completed 15 of 18 attempts but he finished with just 115 passing yards and was sacked four times. While the running game looked good, the offense finished with just 221 total yards and 13 first downs.
Week 1 standout to know
Aside from Bates and Robinson, veteran David Onyemata played well in his Falcons debut. The former Saints defensive lineman followed Ryan Nielsen to Atlanta over the offseason, signing a three-year, $35 million contract with $24.5 million in guaranteed money. Onyemata recorded five pressures and two QB hits for a Pro Football Focus grade of 89.5 (second-highest on the team).
Player to watch in Week 2
Wide receiver Drake London led the team in receiving yards last season, but finished with zero catches on just one target in Week 1. Obviously, the passing game struggled as a whole, but London is too talented to be a non-factor two weeks in a row. Tight end Kyle Pitts finished with a team-high 44 receiving yards against the Panthers. Look for the passing game to be a little bit more aggressive against the Packers on Sunday.
Biggest thing to watch in Week 2
Desmond Ridder. The Falcons second-year QB has been restricted to mostly game-manger duties, but at some point, head coach Arthur Smith will have to take the training wheels off and see if Ridder can be the guy moving forward. While the Falcons obviously have a run-first offense, they have two top-10 pass-catchers that are being wildly underutilized in Kyle Pitts and Drake London.
