The Atlanta Falcons experienced a heartbreak in the leading back-to-back games with the Green Bay Packers on Monday night’s Week 4 start down, but they must have felt something bad when they fell victim to Aaron Rogers in prime time: confirm the NFL’s bad first quarter of 2020 campaign. Weakened by injuries as well as their own defensive ambiguity, the Falcons could not finish Monday’s showdown with star wide Julio Jones, who left early after provoking a hamstring issue, but they ended with a fourth straight loss – a courtesy of Rogers, 30 The tight end of going to the 25th routine was almost flawless for Robert Tonian in the breakout game as well as other MVP-caliber performances.
Here are some instant gifts from the Packers’ big win in prime time:
Why the Packers won
As has often been the case in early 2020, Aaron Rogers’ path was exactly the same. And then some. With the exception of a volatile Atlanta secondary, the No. 12 made another strong case for becoming a front-runner of one MVP after another, followed by one open strike after another. He was so good, considering every opportunity provided to him by the Falcons “D” it was easy that Green Bay didn’t have Davant Adams or Alan Lazard on the field. Side note: What do you think Jordan Love is worth in the trade market? Joking, but Rogers is on fire, and that continued on Monday. Aaron Jones, Jamal Williams and Robert Tonian all took a big time to make up for the absence of Adams, meanwhile, using the ridiculously open space to keep Green Bay at bay all night. Defensively, the packs were solid enough, with little pressure on Matt Ryan, but, importantly, Sandal Sullivan and Darnell Savage caught up in a defensive backfield for a variety of stretches.
Why the Falcons lost
This is the same reason why Aaron Rogers looked like he was a J.V. The team is playing: Dan Quinn’s defense – and is – in full swing. Injuries are a part of the equation, no doubt, especially with secondary, especially, hard blows. But there’s no reason the Packers ’offense should cut some of its own from the start and make an average of every two plays. Atlanta was almost always out of place, out of sight of energy or both. And let’s not sugarcoat it: the crime wasn’t better. Again, injuries played a part, when Julio Jones came out after his half, what, 75 percent? But you’re telling us Matt Ryan, Todd Gurley, Calvin Ridley and the rest of the gang aren’t more capable? That shouldn’t come as a surprise, but they seemed more frustrating than comfortable in a lot of important situations, with 0-4 starting in the fourth quarter as they started to shine in the face.
Turn
Third down. Just under two minutes to go in the first half. Falcons down by 10. And Matt Ryan is kicked off the third and short, confirming three-and-right, after an 11-play, 75-yard Packers TD drive. The pace remains the same with Green Bay, and the pack will move another 50 yards in 51 seconds, with the Rodgers knocking Tonin to a score of 20-3 before halftime. The Falcons pulled things a little closer at the start of the second half, but by then, the deficit was already very built up.
Play the game
The Falcons were so bad on defense that all of the Packers ’big plays were huge-open breaks, but Robert Tonin’s third TD of the night was particularly catchy considering he was going for a simple score.
What’s next
The Packers (-0-0) will earn a little better on their buy this weekend, comfortably and will be sitting alone on the NFC North in the first quarter of the season. The Falcons (0-4), meanwhile, are searching for some serious souls before the departmental showdown with the Carolina Panthers (2-2), who are fresh from the Arizona Cardinals.
