The Atlanta Falcons got off to a slow start against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night, but once they found their footing, they absolutely demolished their NFC North opponents by a final score of 35-14.
Not only was the Falcons' blowout win unexpected, but they looked like a completely different team than the one we've seen over the first two dreadful weeks of the season. Michael Penix Jr. returned and proved to be the difference in the team's prolific offensive performance in Green Bay.
Here are five takeaways from the Falcons' Week 3 win over the Packers at Lambeau Field.
Falcons RB-WR duo sets NFL record with 400-yard explosion
The Falcons running game was absolutely firing on all cylinders in Week 3, and per usual, Bijan Robinson led the way. Robinson racked up 213 all-purpose yards (194 rushing),
which helped open up the passing game for Drake London. After two duds to open the season, London went off for a nine-catch, 194-yard performance. He and Robinson combined to go over 400 total yards.
London and Robinson also became the first RB-WR duo to have three games where both players have at least 150 total yards of offense. Not a bad night for two of the Falcons' highest-paid offensive stars.
The @AtlantaFalcons block the kick!@ATLvsGB on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) September 25, 2026
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Dt4VhxEoq6
Penix bounces back from early jitters, sets Falcons QB record
After a rocky start completing just one of five pass attempts with an interception, Penix absolutely locked in and went 17/20 for 239 yards and one touchdown. He hit short, deep and intermediate routes, while breathing some much-needed life into the Falcons passing game. Overall, Penix's final line looks pretty good. He finished 18/25 (72% completion rate) for 256 yards, one touchdown, one interception and a 101.4 passer rating.
Oh, and Penix also became the fastest quarterback in Falcons history to reach 3,000 passing yards, per team reporter Tori McElhaney. Not bad for the quarterback's first start in over 10 months.
Michael Penix Jr. is now the fastest Falcons quarterback (by QB starts) to reach 3,000 yards all-time and has the most passing yards through 13 starts by a Falcons QB all-time.
— Tori McElhaney (@tori_mcelhaney) September 25, 2026
What a return for Mike.
Defense stepped up without A.J. Terrell
Don't let the final box score fool you, the Falcons defense was special on Thursday. Aside from holding the Packers to an impressive 14 points, Atlanta completely shut down Green Bay's ground game (nine total carries for 17 yards) and dominated the line of scrimmage for four quarters. Atlanta's secondary stepped up without No. 1 cornerback A.J. Terrell, despite giving up some late passing yards in garbage time.
CJ Henderson more than held his own in place of Terrell. Billy Bowman Jr. returned made an incredible play to break up a potential deep ball from Jordan Love. Second-year Falcons safety Xavier Watts even closed things out with a pick in the fourth quarter. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulrbrich is cooking this season.
Xavier Watts puts an exclamation point on this @AtlantaFalcons performance❗️ pic.twitter.com/dvZaqfW1hp
— NFL (@NFL) September 25, 2026
Falcons special teams shows up with blocked kick
In perhaps the most underrated play of the game, Falcons defensive lineman Zach Harrison blocked a Packers field goal attempt to keep the momentum going. Harrison, a former third-round pick who was initially cut at the 53-man deadline, proved his worth once again on Thursday night.
Kicker Nick Folk went 2/2 on field-goal attempts and 3/3 on extra points. Any time your special teams unit can have a positive impact, it greatly increases your chances of winning.
The @AtlantaFalcons block the kick!@ATLvsGB on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) September 25, 2026
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Dt4VhxEoq6
What's next for the Falcons in Week 4?
The Falcons will face the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football in Week 4. The Saints have been impressive this season. Even though they're just 1-1, they nearly upset the Detroit Lions in overtime in Week 1. Plus, they defeated a talented Baltimore Ravens team in Week 2. On the 20-year anniversary of their "Domecoming" win over the Falcons, it could be tough sledding for Atlanta in Week 4. Next Monday's game starts at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: 5 takeaways from Falcons' blowout win over Packers in Week 3
