The Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers meet Thursday night with both teams struggling through early-season injury crises that have left their rosters unrecognizable from the start of the year.
The Falcons are 0-2 after losing their top two quarterbacks to injury. Michael Penix Jr., who tore his ACL late last season, will return Thursday, while Tua Tagovailoa remains out. Backup Cooper Rush has not performed well when forced into action, leaving Atlanta’s offense in dire straits. According to the source, the Falcons have a league-worst team passer rating of 38.2—just barely above 39.6, the rating a quarterback would have if throwing incomplete on every down. The team is also missing 2025 first-round pick Jalon Walker. Despite the struggles, Penix’s return should provide a significant upgrade over Rush and give the Falcons a clearer picture of their season potential.
The Packers enter at 1-1 but are dealing with mounting offensive line injuries that have crippled their attack. Right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele is done for the season with a knee injury, guard Aaron Banks will miss Week 3, and receiver Jayden Reed is out indefinitely with a neck injury. The offensive line problems were so severe last week that Green Bay considered using tight end Tucker Kraft at tackle during the game against the Jets. Running back Josh Jacobs remains on the commissioner’s exempt list. Last week, the Packers’ offense managed only 145 passing yards from Jordan Love, with the running game completely ineffective.
Both teams finished last season with optimism—the Falcons strong and the Packers as a playoff team—but both are now in scramble mode. According to the source, the Packers likely need a win more than the Falcons. While an 0-3 start would be problematic for Atlanta, they remain in the NFC South where a middling record could still keep them competitive. The Packers, however, would face significant panic with a home loss to the struggling Falcons on Thursday night, particularly after needing overtime to beat the Jets in their only win.
The betting market reflects the uncertainty. The point spread has shifted considerably from an opening of Packers -7.5 to -4.5, driven by Penix’s return, Green Bay’s poor performance, and additional Packers injuries.
Key facts
- Falcons are 0-2 and will start Michael Penix Jr. on Thursday after two games without their top two QBs
- Atlanta has a league-worst 38.2 team passer rating through two games
- Packers are 1-1 and dealing with multiple offensive line injuries, including right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele out for the season
- Green Bay managed only 145 passing yards last week against the Jets
- The point spread has moved from Packers -7.5 to -4.5