By Don Stone - Football Atlanta
The outcome of this game may come down more to who is not playing than who
is. Green Bay has been riddled with injury problems that seem to keep
getting worse.
The Packers already are depleted in the secondary, and they will be
without one of their top linebackers against the Falcons as well. LB Clay
Matthews had been listed as questionable but was on the inactive list
prior to game time. Matthews battled a hamstring injury all week and
was limited in practice Thursday and Friday. Coach Mike McCarthy told
reporters that Matthews, like Randall Cobb, is making progress and
likely will be a game-time decision. Well, the decision was no on both.
Davante Adams will start at WR in place of Cobb. Julius Peppers
will take Matthews' place. Don Jackson will sub in place of Starks. .
Beset by running back injuries — starter Eddie Lacy is on injured
reserve with an ankle/foot injury that required surgery; backup James
Starks remains sidelined with a knee injury that required arthroscopic
surgery on Oct. 16 — the Packers have resorted to playing Montgomery at
running back on a regular basis instead of the change-of-pace approach
they’d previously been using.
The Packers had been planning to use Ty Montgomery in multiple
roles to make up for some of the losses. Over the past two weeks, Montgomery
has caught 20 passes for 164 yards while carrying 12 times for 66 yards. He
put up 126 total yards from scrimmage in the team’s Oct. 20 victory over
Chicago, and according to ESPN Stats & Information, he’s lined up in the
backfield on 66 plays over the past two games. But, adding insult to injury,
it was announced just before the game that Montgomery would also be out with
an illness.
But, they'll also be missing both cornerbacks, needed to defend Julio
Jones. Both Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins are out
with groin injuries and Sam Shield is on injured reserve.
Relatively speaking, Atlanta is pretty healthy. RB Tevin Coleman
will miss his second straight game with a hamstring. Ra'Shede Hageman
and Jalen Collins are also on the inactive list. But a far cry from
what Green Bay's coaching staff will be dealing with. So, on paper, it looks
like Matt Ryan will have a field day and Aaron Rodgers will be
lucky to get a first down. Obviously, a lot can happen, especially with a QB
the caliber of Rodgers, who has tormented the Falcons over the years.
An inordinate number of Packers fans showed up, and from the noise they
made, it sounded like about 25% of the crowd. Atlanta got the ball first at
their 25 and got a first down on the first play of the gae with a pass to
Mohamed Sunu. Michael Vick...sorry. Matt Ryan kept it up the middle for
a 10 yard rush. On a third and 14, Jacob Tamme got all but one of
what they needed with a 13 yard catch at the GB42. The tight end had to be
helped off the field, his return questionable. Dan Quinn went for it
on fourth down and got it all the way to the 25 on a toss to Davonta
Freeman. A call that may have been influenced by last week's failed
fourth and one.
The drive stalled at the 18 with Matt Bryant giving his team the
first score, 3-0.
Green Bay began at their 25 and picked up a first with a 7 yard carry by
Jackson. Rodgers then hit for the old reliable Jordy Nelson for a 58
yard bomb to the Atl 7. Nelson finished the drive waiting in the end zone
for a 7-3 lead.
Atlanta began their second drive at the 29 with Jones catching his first
for 11 to the 41. Jones then shook off two defenders and ran to the GB47.
Ryan threw a 47 yard bullseye into the arms of Taylor Gabriel. With
the extra point, Bryant broke Morten Andersen's record for most
points in team history with 807
Rodgers got back on the move with a first down pass to Nelson at the 39.
Adams got 10 with a catch at midfield. He hit Trevor Davis for six as
he stradled the sideline. Quinn took a time out to slow the hot QB down and
rethink how to defend his relentless passing attack. A tackle in the
backfield of Knile Davis followed by a false start made it second and
21 from the Atl46. A missed tackle by first round draft pick Keanu Neal
let Adams get the 22 yards they needed for a new set of downs at the 24.
Rodgers with plenty of time, hit Davis for 10 at the 14. Davis caught
another for nine at the three. Geronimo Allison got them another
score with a catch in the end zone to put Green Back back on top 14-10.
Atlanta began at their 30. Jones drew a 24 yards pass interference call
in Packer territory at the 46. Freeman rounded the right corner for 10
followed by another 10 on a catch by Sunu at the 25. All they could get was
to the 22 with Bryant connecting from 40 to draw to within one, 14-13. Even
though the game was virtually even, the way Rodgers was hitting everything
he threw to, it seemed like trading TDs for field goals wouldn't get the job
done.
The Falcons defense finally got to Rodgers on the next drive with a
Vic Beasley sack. After the punt, Atlanta got the ball at their 22.
Atlanta got their fourth illegal formation call for a first and 15 at the
17. A catch by Hooper moved it to the 21 as Mike McCarthy took his
first time out. But the offense couldn't overcome the penalty and had to
kick it away with Davis shaking tackles 55 yards all the way to Atlanta's
15. Let's make it easier on Rodgers by giving him a short field. And lets
make it even easier by getting a holding call for a first and goal at the 7.
Taking advantage of the gift, Rodgers hit Davis before he fell out of
bounds. Green Bay 21, Atlanta 13 with 4:22 left in the half.
Atlanta started at their 25 and picked up nine on a pass to Freeman.
Hooper got 13 to the 47. A roughing the passer call put it at the GB38. A
quick dump off to Gabriel saw the back get 11. Newly signed Terron Ward
got five at the two minute warning. Ryan faked a handoff then hit Hooper
again for a first and goal at the five. Freeman caught a pass at the five
and evaded a few defenders before barreling into the end zone. Quinn elected
to try a two point conversion for the tie but couldn't find anyone open.
21-19 with 27 seconds left in the half.
But that was plenty of time for Rodgers who scrambled right for 23 yards.
He then hit Nelson for 21 and Aaron Ripkowski for nine. An
unnecessary roughness call put it at the 11 where Mason Crosby put it
through for a bonus three points. Halftime score 24-19.
Green Bay got the ball to start the second half at their 25 and quickly
got a first on a catch by Ripkowski at the GB49. Adams was tripped up by
Neal for a third and six at the Atl47. Rodgers took a time out. The defense
rose to the occasion with an Adrian Clayborn sack. Atlanta got the
ball after the punt at the 25.
Despite the ease of moving the ball by Green Bay, Atlanta trailed by just
five. Ryan hit Sunu for a five yard gain. An off sides call gave them a
first down at the 30. Gabriel was open up the middle for 10 to the 44.
Finally, a run straight ahead worked when Ward squirted through for 28 to
the 26. Another rush up the middle got seven and a first at the 16. They
tried a few more like that with limited success bringing up a third and six
fro the 12. Ryan hit Ward for a hard fought first and goal at the one. Two
failed runs made it third and one. Third time was the charm as Freeman burst
through to give Atlanta the lead 26-24.
A pair of passes to Adams got the Packers to their 46. On a third and 13
with Clayborn bowling Rodgers over for a nine yard sack, the Falcons' third
of the game. As the final quarter began, Eric Weems took the 50
yard punt and got it to the 33 with a chance to extend the lead beyond a
field goal, which you would surely need in a close game against Rodgers.
But a pair of Ryan sacks was sacked for the first time, also a nine yard
loss to make it third and 16 at the 27. Matt Bosher boomed a 56 yard
punt and added 15 on a face mask call on Kendrall Brice call backing
up Green Bay to their 14. But he got them some breathing room when no one
covered him, sliding down after running it for eleven. Another first on an
11 yard catch and run by Adams to the 36. A big 17 yard pass to Allison
moved them into Falcons territory at the 44. Again, no one covered Rodgers
as he sprinted 13 yards for a first at the Atlanta 24. Not needing any more
injuries, guard T.J. Lang had to be walked off the field.
After an 8 yard catch by Jeff Janis, it was fourth and one at the
15. A field goal would put them ahead. McCarthy threw the challenge flag
claiming Atlanta had 12 players on the field. They won the challenge giving
Green Bay a new set of downs at the 13 with 5:57 left in the game. Ripkowski
carried it for six. No gain on the next run making it a huge third and four.
But Rodgers did what you knew he would, hitting Janis for a TD. They
converted the two point conversion to give them a six point lead, 32-26 with
3:58 left. Plenty of time for Ryan to score.
The Falcons needed to do two things. First, of course, score a touchdown.
Second, if they can do that, leave Rodgers with no time to get to within
field goal range.
They needed 75 yards to take care of the first part. Ryan hit Sunu coming
across the middle for nine at the 34, then hit Justin Hardy for a
first down at their 47. A short toss to Freeman made it 8 for a third and
two at the GB45. Another first on a Sunu 12 yard catch at their 33 with 2:31
to go. CB LaDarius Gunter was hurt on the play. Sunu was open again
for nine to the 24. Quinn let the clock tick down to the two minute warning.
Another to Sunu for nine to the 14 with 1:14 left. They got the first with a
short catch by Hooper. Then Sunu made it official with a TD catch. Bryant's
extra point put Atlanta ahead by a point 33-32. Did they leave Rodgers too
much time with 31 seconds and two time outs?
Rodgers had the ball at his 25 and took just five seconds to hit Janis
for seven going out of bounds. An incomplete pass stopped it with 20 seconds
to go. The crowd, which had been complacent most of the game, finally came
to life and made some noise.
McCarthy took his second time out. The next pass was broken up by C.J.
Goodwin with 14 seconds to go and fourth down. Another incomplete and
the game was over. The Falcons offense came in and took a knee to run out
the last nine seconds and Atlanta had an impressive 33-32 win. The 4-3
Falcons gained a game on the now 3-5 Buccaneers, who lost in overtime to
Oakland. Both teams meet in just four days at Raymond James Stadium for a
big Thursday Night Football game.
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