The Atlanta Falcons lost to the Green Bay Packers, 30-16, in their Week 4 matchup on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
After the Falcons failed to do anything on their opening drive, the Packers drove right down the field before QB Aaron Rodgers found RB Aaron Jones — who was apparently invisible to the Falcons defenders — for a wide-open touchdown.
Atlanta would rebound, though, coming up with a big fourth-down stop on the goal line, then driving for a field goal to make it 7-3 Green Bay lead.
The defense would collapse again late in the second quarter, giving up a late touchdown to go down, 20-3, to the Packers at halftime. The game would tighten up after Todd Gurley’s second touchdown run, but Green Bay would hold on for their fourth win. Atlanta is now 0-4, with a potential head coach firing coming on Tuesday.
Here’s a quick recap of the Falcons’ offense, defense and special teams units from Monday night’s loss in Green Bay.
OFFENSE
The Falcons were again disjointed offensively, especially in comparison to the Packers, who were operating like a well-oiled machine. Wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones were listed as questionable entering the game, but both played and didn’t look close to 100 percent.
Jones caught four passes for 32 yards, while Ridley was held without a catch. Matt Ryan looked frantic in the pocket at times. He would finish with 285 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions.
Wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus finished with eight catches for 86 yards, while running back Todd Gurley ran for 57 yards and two touchdowns.
DEFENSE
Defensively, Atlanta entered Monday’s game in a bad spot, having to face QB Aaron Rodgers with three starting members of the secondary out. The team would then go on to lose safety Damontae Kazee with an ankle injury in the first half.
There was a few bright spots, with CB Kendall Sheffield returning and was pretty solid in coverage stepping into a nightmarish situation.
Falcons Linebacker Foye Oluokun showed that his unbelievable first-half performance against Dallas wasn’t a fluke. He was instinctively flying to the ball, showed physicality at the point of attack and generally looked like one of the Falcons’ better defenders.
SPECIAL TEAMS
With Younghoe Koo out, Elliott Fry got the start for the Falcons at kicker. Fry made a field goal and missed an extra point. Rookie punter Sterling Hofrichter averaged 40.7 yards on his three punts.
In the return game, the Packers found space all night. Falcons returner Brandon Powell had a 26-yard kick return.
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