Five Standouts From Packers’ 25-24 Loss to Falcons
The Green Bay Packers let a 24-12 second-half lead, and a chance to start the season 2-0, get away as they lost 25-24 against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
The offense, which was missing three of its best players when David Bakhtiari, Aaron Jones and Christian Watson were announced as inactive before the game, lost another big-time player as Elgton Jenkins missed most of the game with a knee injury.
Jordan Love played turnover-free football against a tough, aggressive Falcons defense. He threw three more touchdown passes, two of them to rookie receiver Jayden Reed, but it wasn't enough.
The Falcons scored on each of their last four possessions. Desmond Ridder did just enough with the help of super-rookie Bijan Robinson and gusty fourth-down playcalling from Arthur Smith. That combination put them in a position to get a chip-shot field goal from Younghoe Koo with 57 seconds left.
Love had one final chance to win the game, but Samori Toure couldn't hang on to a pass on fourth down, which resulted in a turnover on downs. The Falcons kneeled out the clock and the Packers dropped to 1-1.
Quay Walker
The Falcons had the best player on the field with Robinson.
Linebacker Quay Walker did his part in the first half. He had 11 tackles during the first 30 minutes alone and was flying all over the field.
He finished the game with 17 tackles, with his lone blunder coming on a dropped interception early in the second half.
Walker is off to an excellent start for the second season of his career. The Packers need him to have a big year. He's one of the more talented players on the defense, and they invested a first-round pick in him.
After a tough end to his rookie campaign, Walker is showing the world what the Packers saw in him.
Jayden Reed
Jayden Reed wasn't a first-round pick at receiver, but he's proven to be a really good player through his first two NFL games. He followed up a solid NFL debut with another good day in Atlanta.
Reed caught four passes for 37 yards and two touchdowns. He was the Packers' leader in terms of targets and receptions.
Through two games, Reed has six catches for 85 yards and two scores. His speed is a difference-maker and should become a bigger factor in the offense as he gets more comfortable.
Dontayvion Wicks
Rookie receiver Dontayvion Wicks didn't have any catches last week, but earned praise from the coaching staff for how he played. He received the most snaps of any Packers receivers in the opener, and was clearly part of the game plan that Green Bay put together for Atlanta.
The first play of the game was a flea-flicker in which Wicks was the target. He didn't make the catch, but drew a pass interference flag for a gain of 44 yards.
He finished the day with two catches for 40 yards and his first career touchdown. He was the most-targeted receiver not named Reed as well.
It's early, but Wicks looks to be someone who could become a big part of the Packers' offense even as Christian Watson returns from an injury.
Rasul Douglas
Rasul Douglas gets the honor of the first interception by a defensive back this season. Ridder threw a duck into the middle of the field after being pressured by Clark and Preston Smith.
Douglas' arms were waiting for the interception, his 10th in 32 games with the Packers.
Douglas had a good day in coverage save for a questionable hands-to-the-face penalty that gave the Falcons a first down early in the second half.
Douglas had a pass breakup on the Falcons' penultimate possession. That forced a field goal to pull the Falcons within two points. It saved the lead for the time being. Had the Packers won, it would have been one of the pivot points of the game. Since they didn't, it becomes a footnote.
Kenny Clark
Clark was the pivot point for the Packers' defense throughout the first half. He was consistently in Ridder's face and playing on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
He finished the game with a half-sack and six total tackles.
The Packers' defensive line asks a lot of Clark and he's delivered early in the year.
They'll need better from the entire front in the run game as they were gashed for 211 yards by the Falcons, including 124 yards on 6.5 yards-per-carry by Robinson.
Clark will need to be a big part of that, but for the most part was good on Sunday.
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