The Atlanta Falcons look to turn around their fortunes on Monday Night Football as they face the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on ESPN 7:15 CST. The Falcons are off to a 0-3 start while the Packers are undefeated at 3-0. The Falcons are coming off of back to back heartbreaking losses in the fourth quarter.
Both Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley are listed questionable ahead of Monday night’s game. The Falcons, however, have ruled out four other players. Starting defensive end Takk McKinley, starting safeties Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen, and kicker Younghoe Koo won’t play. McKinley and Koo are recovering from groin injuries while Allen hyperextended his left elbow, and Neal injured his left hamstring against the Chicago Bears last week.
The good news is that Jones and Ridley practiced all week, albeit limited. The Falcons have come out strong, but things have fallen apart. First, it was against the Cowboys when they surrendered a 20-0 first-quarter lead and ultimately lost 40-39 on a last-second field goal. Last week, the Falcons had a 26-10 lead in the fourth quarter before giving up 20 unanswered points.
They’ll have to hold up on defense this week and put up points against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers despite the Packers being down their top two receivers. Atlanta is averaging 30 points a game but is giving up 36 a game. The Packers have started slowly in all three of their games, so if the Falcons can jump out to an early lead and not repeat the last two weeks, they’ll have a chance to get their first win on the season.
This year, Matt Ryan has put up substantial numbers, throwing for 961 yards and seven touchdowns to just two interceptions. He has been sacked five times, so keeping him upright will be a priority.
In his first year with the Falcons, Todd Gurley II has 197 yards on 49 carries and two scores. Ridley has 21 receptions for 349 yards and four touchdowns while Jones has 11 catches for 181 yards but has yet to find the endzone. If neither can play, Ryan will look to Russell Gage as the number one receiver. Gage is second on the team with 17 receptions, and he has a touchdown.
On defense, the Falcons will have to put some pressure on Aaron Rodgers, who’s only been sacked twice, both coming in last week’s game against the New Orleans Saints. Before that, Rodgers was barely pressured in the pocket. In addition to Rodgers, the Falcons will have to slow down running back Aaron Jones.
