GREEN BAY
The Packers fell to 1-2 after a 35-14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night, marking their worst start in eight seasons under coach Matt LaFleur. Fans at Lambeau Field booed the team off the field.
LaFleur expressed uncertainty about the offense's direction. "I think we've got to continue to work with these guys and try to figure out what we do well," he said. "Because right now I don't know what we're doing well offensively."
The running game was the most glaring problem. Green Bay rushed for 17 yards on nine carries—the third fewest in the franchise's history. MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson each ran four times, with Jordan Love adding one scramble. The team is missing Josh Jacobs, its leading rusher from the past two seasons, who is on the commissioner exempt list.
The 17-yard performance dropped Green Bay's season average to 48.7 rushing yards per game, worst in the NFL. Their season total of 146 yards is the fewest by any team through three games since 2019.
Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson rushed for 194 yards, exceeding the Packers' entire season total.
Lloyd acknowledged the disconnect between potential and performance. "I do believe we can run the ball well. But I can't say that because we're not doing it."
The offensive line has deteriorated quickly. Right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2. Rookie Jager Burton started at left guard—the third different player at that position in three games.
Love took 12 hits from Atlanta and was sacked once, continuing a pattern of protection issues. He was hit 15 times in the Week 1 loss to Minnesota.
Love completed 28 of 53 passes for 312 yards with two touchdowns and one interception—a 52 percent completion rate that ranks as the second-lowest through three games in the past 20 seasons. It is the lowest in the NFL since Sam Bradford in 2011 among quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts.
A failed fourth-and-1 conversion in the third quarter exemplified the team's dysfunction. Trailing 17-7 and facing fourth down from Atlanta's 7-yard line, LaFleur called a pass play. Love faced immediate pressure with no clear throwing lane and misfired to Christian Watson.
Love said after the game, "We're very frustrated tonight with the performance." He added, "But I think the positive is knowing that there's still a lot of ball out there for us, and I think as a unit, we've all got to stick together." Love referenced his first season as a starter in 2023, which also started slowly.
