5 Observations From Falcons Loss Against Packers

Well, the Atlanta Falcons didn’t blow another fourth quarter lead. Is that progress? Not really because there was no lead to be had for the Falcons at Lambeau Field on Monday night.

Even without his top two receivers, Aaron Rodgers led the Green Bay Packers straight down the field after a Falcons three-and-out to take a seven-point lead in the first quarter. Green Bay didn’t look back from there. 

Rodgers finished with 327 passing yards and four touchdowns, guiding the Packers to a relatively easy 30-16 victory.

With the loss, the Falcons have fallen to 0-4 for the first time since 1999. Here’s what we saw in this latest debacle for the Falcons:

1. Falcons Beleaguered Secondary Completely Overmatched

Dan Quinn’s defense was missing both starting safeties, Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen, along with cornerbacks A.J. Terrell and Darqueze Dennard, coming into the night and lost defensive back Damontae Kazee during the game.

The best teams have great depth, but at a certain point, it’s hard to expect any unit missing five key players to remain competitive. As one could have expected, against Rodgers, the Falcons secondary was badly outmatched.

Green Bay had its own injury issues playing Monday without wide receivers Davante Adams and Allen Lazard. The Falcons were able to keep the Packers wideout replacements in check, but Rodgers ate up the Atlanta secondary with throws to the tight ends and running backs. Rodgers was 20 of 21 for 241 yards and four touchdowns on attempts to his tight ends and running backs.

On the first touchdown pass to Aaron Jones, two Falcons defenders covered Robert Tonyan, leaving Jones wide open. Not covering Green Bay’s best player so close to the goal line was a huge gaffe, but it was hardly the only miscommunication in the Falcons secondary. On a fourth down near the end of the first half, Rodgers could have thrown to three different pass catchers and picked up the first down — all three were wide open.

At least the Falcons didn’t allow Tonyan to beat them on Green Bay’s first red zone possession. But the rest of the night, Atlanta couldn’t stop Tonyan, who led the Packers with 98 receiving yards and three scores.

The lone bright spot defensively for the Falcons was a first quarter goal line stand. If not for that, Atlanta loses by 20.

Maybe Quinn can take some solace from the fact his beat up defense held the Packers to a season-low 30 points. But unless the Falcons get bodies back in the secondary quickly, the communication between the less experienced Atlanta defensive backs must improve very quickly or even average NFL quarterbacks are going to be exploiting this secondary.

2. Falcons Generate Little Pressure on Aaron Rodgers

On top of the secondary injuries, the Falcons played without Takk McKinley on Monday. It showed, as the Falcons generated very little pressure on Rodgers.

Granted, pressuring the Packers quarterback is easier said than done. He still moves around pretty well for his age, and when his backs and tight ends are so wide open, he doesn’t need to hold onto the ball long. 

Still, Rodgers looked comfortable all night. The Falcons recorded one sack, and Rodgers slipped on the play. He didn’t get hit again.

3. Dirk Koetter’s Running Game Fails Again

The Packers defense came into the night giving up 5.5 yards per carry, which was ranked 31st in the NFL. With Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley banged up, one would think it was a great opportunity to finally get the ground game going. Yet again, that didn’t happen.

Todd Gurley reached the end zone twice, but he averaged 3.6 yards per carry. Brian Hill and Ito Smith lowered the team’s rushing average on their six attempts.

On the first three drives, the Falcons attempted 11 runs versus 14 passes. That’s as balanced as Dirk Koetter’s offense has been in any first half this season, so it’s hard to blame the play calling too much. The running game woes this week fall on Gurley and an offensive line that couldn’t generate much of a push against a defense struggling to stop the run.

The offensive line had a bad night overall, as the unit also allowed four sacks.

4. Matt Ryan Looked a Little Slow

Quarterback is the least of Atlanta’s problems right now, but at the same time, Ryan isn’t elevating his teammates at the moment. On each of the first two drives, Ryan threw incomplete passes on third-and-6. The Falcons’ inability to convert third-and-medium is not going to give Koetter confidence to run the ball on first and second down to begin next week’s game.

Ryan didn’t connect on any of his five targets to Calvin Ridley, one of which he threw a little behind the third-year receiver in the end zone on fourth down late in the fourth quarter. One could argue Ridley should have made the catch, but it wasn’t a great throw.

Ridley was less than 100 percent, and Julio Jones exited again with a hamstring injury. With no consistent running game, and a struggling, beat up defense, Ryan likely feels he has to carry the team. He’s right. 

As a result, he may be feeling pressure to make miraculous plays on every down, and that’s just not happening. He averaged 7.3 yards per attempt with no touchdowns and took four sacks while Rodgers threw for 9.9 yards per pass. Hopefully Jones and Ridley return to health soon.

5. Olamide Zucceaus is a Guy to Watch Moving Forward

The biggest bright spot on offense was second-year wideout Olamide Zaccheaus.

When given the opportunity last season, he hauled in a 93-yard touchdown. With Jones and Ridley hampered, Zucceaus led the Falcons with eight catches and 86 receiving yards Monday.

The Falcons don’t want Zucceaus to become the team’s leading receiver, but it would be great to see him develop into a fourth option and yet another offensive weapon. Now, if only the Falcons could develop a weapon in the backfield.