GREEN BAY — The Green Bay Packers celebrated their annual Alumni Weekend during their home opener Thursday, and paid homage to their 1996 Super Bowl title team.
The 2026 Packers then took the field and showed a national audience that they’re light years away from challenging for a championship.
Visiting Atlanta, which entered the night winless, dominated from start to finish and roughed up the Packers 35-14. Atlanta fell behind 7-0, then scored 27 straight points and coasted home on a night where the boo birds were out in full force.
“It was a butt-whoopin’,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.
Both teams are now 1-2 as the Packers saw their streak of 13 straight victories in home openers come to an end. Green Bay is also 1-2 for the first time in LaFleur’s eight years as a coach.
Here’s the “Good, Bad and Ugly,” starting with a whole lot of ugly.
The ugly
DEFENSELESS: Green Bay’s defense was a bright spot the first two weeks, as the Packers ranked fifth in total defense allowing 262.0 yards per game. Green Bay was also No. 8 in rushing defense, allowing 87.0 yards per game, and ninth in passing defense (175.0).
The Falcons did whatever they wanted on Thursday, though, piling up 498 total yards — 256 through the air and 242 on the ground. Atlanta averaged a whopping 7.5 yards per play, 10.2 yards per pass attempt and converted 6 of 10 third downs.
Atlanta — which hadn’t reached the red zone a single time in its first two games — scored on its final five possessions and six of seven after coming up empty on its first two drives.
“We had some coverage busts on the back end,” Packers rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse said. “We’ve got to get on the right page and got to play the right calls, and we’ve got to get it fixed.”
Falcons running back Bijan Robinson was sensational, rushing for 194 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns. Robinson also had 19 receiving yards, giving him an eye-popping 213 yards from scrimmage.
Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix was incredibly efficient while making his first start since tearing his ACL in November of 2025. Penix completed 18 of 25 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown and posted a 101.4 rating.
And wideout Drake London had a monster game with nine catches for a career-high 194 yards.
“It’s real frustrating, just period,” defensive tackle Karl Brooks said. “As a D-lineman, they go for 200 some yards rushing, 500 total offense, so that’s just frustrating.”
RUNNING ON EMPTY: The 2000 San Diego Chargers hold the NFL record for the fewest rushing yards in a 16-game season during the Super Bowl era. Those Chargers averaged just 66.4 yards per game.
Through three games, Green Bay is averaging a grotesque 48.7 rushing yards per contest. The Packers’ 17 rushing yards during their 35-14 loss to Atlanta were their fewest since totaling 12 yards against Tampa Bay in December of 1999.
“I think we gotta continue to work with these guys and try to figure out what we do well, because right now I don’t know what we’re doing well offensively,” LaFleur said.
In Green Bay’s loss to the Falcons, it ran the ball just nine times and threw it 53 — meaning a whopping 85.8% of its plays were passes.
“It’s definitely something you don’t like to see,” running back MarShawn Lloyd said. “But you know, you got to deal with it.”
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TAKE THE POINTS: The Packers trailed 17-7 at the start of the third quarter, then drove to the Falcons’ 7 where they faced a fourthand- 1. Green Bay opted to go for it, quarterback Jordan Love was under pressure and threw incomplete for Christian Watson.
“Actually it was a canned play,” LaFleur said. “If you get the look, you run the pass. They did a good job defending it. It’s something we saw on tape. Obviously it didn’t work.”
In the Packers’ Week 1 loss at Minnesota, LaFleur took three points off the board with the Packers ahead 22-17 and had his team try converting a fourth-and-1. That decision also failed, the Vikings grabbed momentum and eventually pulled away for a 39-22 win.
There’s no shame in taking points, especially when you’re down two scores as Green Bay was against the Falcons. Somebody needs to remind LaFleur of that.
UNDER PRESSURE: Green Bay’s offensive line allowed 28 total pressures, including 10 from Jager Burton and six from Jacob Monk. Burton had a forgettable first start at left guard, giving up five hits and five hurries.
USE YOUR HEAD: The Packers had the Falcons stopped late in the first quarter, but edge rusher Brenton Cox was called for roughing the passer on Penix.
On the next play, Robinson busted a 55-yard run off left tackle to Green Bay’s 5. Two plays later, Robinson waltzed into the endzone from three yards out to tie the game, 7-7.
“I wouldn’t say it sucked the air out of us,” Brooks said. “It’s just a costly penalty. Could have been avoided, and we just got to be better in knowing how the referees are calling the game.”
The bad
MISSED OPPORTUNITY: Xavier McKinney intercepted Penix on the Falcons’ opening drive, and Green Bay started at its own 45. But the Packers went three and out and had to punt. Green Bay, which entered the game converting just 19% of its third downs, failed there and lined up to go for it on for it on fourth and- 4. But Packers rookie guard Jager Burton had a false start penalty to kill that possession.
STUCK IN THE MUD: Late in the second quarter, Atlanta defensive lineman Zach Harrison blocked a 47-yard field-goal attempt by Green Bay rookie kicker Trey Smack. The culprit was Packers right tackle Anthony Belton, who never appeared to get out of his stance, let Harrison run past him and block Smack’s kick.
“Can’t lean out,” Belton said. “Teams kind of can plan stuff out as they go, you’re expecting somebody to come at you full force and then they just kinda jump out.”
BOO BIRDS: The Lambeau Field faithful weren’t shy expressing their displeasure, with the boos starting late in the second quarter and getting louder as the game went on.
“That’s tough. It’s pretty disappointing, especially for a home opener,” tight end Tucker Kraft said. “It’s pretty disappointing. It’s not going to help us win. Like I don’t know what people think that’s going to rally us or something like that.”
THIS AND THAT: Green Bay has been outscored by 35 points in its first two games, the second worst scoring differential in football ahead of only Miami (minus-36). … Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper left with a concussion in the second half.
The good
DOUBLE TROUBLE: About the only thing Green Bay’s offense has going for it right now is the wide receiver duo of Christian Watson and Matthew Golden.
Watson had seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown Thursday, while Golden had five receptions for 100 yards and the first regular season touchdown of his career.
THIS AND THAT: Rookie wideout J. Michael Sturdivant had the first reception of his career, a 9yard catch in the third quarter. He finished with three catches for 22 yards. … The Packers’ six penalties were a season low, although they’re still averaging 10.7 penalties per game.
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