Falcons manhandle Packers
Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons picked up where they left off against the Green Bay Packers, building a big halftime lead on the way to a dominating victory Sunday night.
The rematch of last season’s NFC Championship Game was essentially a repeat: Ryan threw for 252 yards and a touchdown, Devonta Freeman had a couple of scoring runs, and Desmond Trufant darted to the end zone off an attempted pass by Aaron Rodgers that was ruled a fumble, leading the host Falcons to a 34-23 victory.
In January, Atlanta earned a trip to the Super Bowl by racing to a 24-0 halftime lead and a 31-0 edge early in the third quarter on the way to a 44-21 blowout of the Packers.
On Sunday, in the first regularseason NFL game at $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Falcons (2-0) put on another show against the Packers (1-1).
Atlanta was ahead 24-7 at halftime and 31-7 less than a minute into the third period.
Ryan threw for 201 yards in the first half. Julio Jones finished with five catches for 108 yards. Freeman rushed for 84 yards, and Tevin Coleman chipped in 42 on the ground plus a touchdown catch.
Trufant not only scored a defensive touchdown, he came up with a crucial interception near the end of the first half.
“That’s when we really come to light,” Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn said. “Different weapons. You never know who’s going to be the one.”
On the opening possession, Ryan guided a nine-play, 86-yard drive that ended when Freeman powered in from the 1 to make it 7-0.
The Packers responded with Ty Montgomery’s game-tying 1-yard TD run. But it was downhill from there for the Green Bay offense, which was missing both of its starting tackles because of injuries and lost receiver Jordy Nelson early with a quadriceps injury.