Put those mock drafts away, boys and girls. We’ve got a real football team on our hands. Kevin Stefanski’s Thursday Night Football magic couldn’t be stopped, and the Atlanta Falcons walked out of Green Bay with a commanding win. Here are the Week 3 Snap Reactions:
Penix is back, and so is the offense
Penix started the game with an interception over the middle of the field. Falcons fans across America sighed, “It’s over,” but who wouldn’t have rust on their first drive…or two. The quarterback found his groove in the second quarter and
never looked back. The offense took off with him. Penix peppered the seams and let the deep ball rip.
The Falcons scored a touchdown on three of their four red zone trips after failing to even reach that area of the field in the previous two games. Drake London was finally a factor, and while Kyle Pitts is disappointing fantasy fans, he had a key block on the first rushing touchdown. Penix gave this offense the spark it desperately needed, and now the season is far from over.
Defense exemplified “next man up”
This current defense cast has a lot of understudies, and they stole the show in prime time. C.J. Henderson is experiencing a renaissance season. He locked down everyone across from him, broke up multiple passes, and stalled momentum for the Packers offense. Zach Harrison looked fully recovered, causing havoc against the run and pass, and adding a blocked field goal to his resume.
James Pearce Jr. suspension, Jalon Walker injury, AJ Terrell to IR, Samson Ebukam out? No problem. Jeff Ulbrich has reached new heights as a playcaller and will likely be on the short list of head coaching candidates this offseason.
The Robinsons
When defenses can’t load the box against you, running the ball becomes quite easy. Shocking, isn’t it? Fans have been waiting to see the ground-and-pound offense that was advertised all offseason, and it finally arrived. Bijan became only the 10th player in NFL history to reach 6,000 scrimmage yards before age 25.
Bijan’s ability to process information and react to it is second to none. He can break tackles in a phone booth and drop you to your knees in an instant. Brian Robinson doesn’t have fancy moves, but he’s dripping with grit. The duo tormented the Packers defense all night and were the engine that kept driving them forward.
Rees is still working out the kinks
While the offensive surge is undeniable, Rees’ playcalling still left a few too many opportunities on the field. Drake London is not the best option for screen plays, and the second-and-long runs aren’t catching anyone off guard. That said, Rees did show improvement as the game went on. London got more opportunities over the middle, and the heavy personnel packages at the goal line were a sight for sore eyes. Now I know it seems nitpicky to complain about play calling during a 500-yard, four-touchdown performance, but it’s exciting to realize this team can still hit another gear.
The monkey is finally off this team’s back. Penix’s return has already shifted the narrative, and while this wasn’t a formidable Packers team, no one should discount the Falcons ability to go on a run. Enjoy the first win of the season!
