Rodgers tough
but Ryan shines as Falcons beat Pack 27-14
With every rock-solid read and on-target spiral, Matt Ryan takes
another step toward making everybody forget Michael Vick, Bobby Petrino and
everything else in the Atlanta Falcons’ ugly recent past.
The rookie quarterback turned in another sharp performance as the Falcons beat
the Green Bay Packers 27-14 at Lambeau Field on Sunday, upstaging a gritty
showing by Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
It was the first road win of the season for the new and improved Falcons (3-2),
putting a team that is supposed to be rebuilding over the .500 mark. Falcons
coach Mike Smith had a feeling during pregame warmups that his young quarterback
wasn’t going to get rattled on the road this time around.
“He said, ‘Hey, this is pretty cool,”’ Smith said. “Just nice, calm, cool and
collected.”
Matt Ryan passed to Justin Peelle to the right for 1
yard gain (Jason Elam made PAT)
7 - 0
4:15
ATL
FG
Jason Elam kicked a 42-yard field goal
10 - 0
2nd Quarter
9:42
GB
TD
Aaron Rodgers passed to Donald Driver down the middle
for 44 yard gain (Mason Crosby made PAT)
10 - 7
6:02
ATL
TD
Matt Ryan passed to Roddy White to the right for 22 yard
gain (Jason Elam made PAT)
17 - 7
3rd Quarter
0:27
GB
FG
Mason Crosby kicked a 50-yard field goal
17 - 10
4th Quarter
10:08
GB
TD
Aaron Rodgers passed to Greg Jennings to the right for
25 yard gain (Mason Crosby made PAT)
17 - 17
7:19
ATL
FG
Jason Elam kicked a 41-yard field goal
20 - 17
3:35
ATL
TD
Michael Turner rushed to the left for 2 yard gain (Jason
Elam made PAT)
27 - 17
1:56
GB
TD
Aaron Rodgers passed to Donald Lee down the middle for 4
yard gain (Mason Crosby made PAT)
27 - 24
Team Statistics
ATL
GB
First Downs
20
21
Passing
8
14
Rushing
9
6
Penalty
3
1
Third Down Efficiency
5-11
7-12
Fourth Down Efficiency
1-1
0-0
TOTAL NET YARDS
370
408
Total Plays
62
62
Average Gain Per Play
6.0
6.6
NET YARDS RUSHING
176
104
Rushes
36
23
Average Per Rush
4.9
4.5
NET YARDS PASSING
194
304
Completions-Attempts
16-26
25-37
Yards Per Pass Play
7.5
7.8
Times Sacked
0
2
Yards Lost to Sacks
0
9
Had Intercepted
1
1
PUNTS
3
3
Average Punt
41.7
41.0
PENALTIES
2
9
Penalty Yards
15
97
FUMBLES
1
0
Fumbles Lost
0
0
TIME OF POSSESSION
28:43
31:17
Pregame Previews, Storylines,
and News
New Page 1
Preview:
The Green Bay Packers are accustomed to having a quarterback
that can play through injuries. If Aaron Rodgers has his way, that will continue
this weekend.
Rodgers and the Packers try to avoid a third straight loss when they host the
Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers intends to play this weekend despite
suffering a shoulder injury in Green Bay's 30-21 loss at Tampa Bay last Sunday.
Rodgers hurt his throwing shoulder in the third quarter when he reached the ball
out trying to get a first down and was tackled hard. He initially thought he
separated the shoulder, but the Packers (2-2) are calling it a sprain...more
Inside the Game Plans:
Notable:
FALCONS: The
Falcons success rides on them establishing the running game. In both of
the Falcons victories, RB Michael Turner has rushed for 220 yards and
121 yards and five touchdowns. The Packers will likely focus on stopping
the Turner. The Packers have not been able to stop the run early this
season and are giving up 361.5 total yeards. On defense, the Falcons
will want to get some early hits on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers,
who may play with a shoulder injury...FULL
STORY
PACKERS: The
Packers are desperate for a victory in the midst of a two-game slide.
Yet, they come into Sunday's contest extremely banged up. Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers is questionable to play after suffering a sprained right
shoulder in the last game, but he is determined to start the game.
Still, head coach/play caller Mike McCarthy may need to scale some
things back in his preferred game plan to throw the football. A more
simplified plan would be in place if Rodgers can't make the start or has
a setback early in the game and untested rookie Matt Flynn has to fill
in...FULL
STORY
Falcons kicker Jason Elam
had made 24 consecutive field goals dating back to Week 9 of last season
Green Bay wide receiver Greg Jennings
leads the league in receiving yards (482)
The Packers lost end Cullen Jenkins
(torn pectoral) for the year earlier this week...Left tackle Sam Baker
(concussion) and wide receiver Laurent Robinson (knee) could return to
the lineup for Atlanta...
Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan is 0-2 on
the road and has yet to engineer a touchdown drive away from the Georgia
Dome
Injuries piling up on Packers' D
SportingNews.com ... the Falcons go to Green Bay, listen up.
Jenkins was one of the better Packers linemen during the first quarter of
the season as he registered 2.5 sacks, ...
14.7
18.1