The Atlanta Falcons are up against it heading into tonight's Week 3 matchup with the Green Bay Packers. A win would give the Falcons a much-needed sigh of relief and spark some hope for where this franchise might be headed. However, another loss would put them in an 0-3 hole and effectively put an end to their playoff aspirations less than a month into the regular season.
Here are four key matchups the Falcons will need to win to pull off an upset on Thursday Night Football.
QB Michael Penix vs. DC Jonathan Gannon
In his much-anticipated return to the lineup for the Falcons, Michael Penix Jr. has to be on his A-game if they're going to have any chance in a tough environment. Penix's biggest issue is his accuracy. To improve his career sub-60% completion rate, he also has to learn how
to take what the defense is giving him. To begin he'll match wits with former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, who's now calling the plays for the Packers defense.
LT Jake Matthews vs. OLB Lukas Van Ness
With their superstar outside linebacker Micah Parsons starting the year out on the PUP list, Green Bay's best pass rusher has been Lukas Van Ness, who's totaled 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for a loss through two games. Long-time left tackle Jake Matthews has to keep Van Ness far away from Penix in order to give him the time he needs to work through those progressions.
CB C.J. Henderson vs. WR Christian Watson
The Packers haven't had a true WR1 since Davante Adams left for the Rams. In his absence Christian Watson has become their most-productive receiver. Heading into Week 3 he leads the Packers with 188 yards and three touchdowns. Watson will move around the line of scrimmage, but Atlanta will be most vulnerable when he's across from C.J. Henderson, who's replacing the injured A.J. Terrell in the starting lineup. Henderson is a former top-10 overall pick, but he's allowed 15 touchdowns and a 108.1 passer rating in coverage in his career.
OLB Za'Darius Smith vs. QB Jordan Love
With Samson Ebukam out this week the Falcons are down their top three edge rushers, making it all the more important that the backups step up and do their part. They'll be led by 12-year veteran Za'Darius Smith, who posted two sacks in Week 1 on Aaron Rodgers, proving he can still get to the quarterback. Atlanta will need Smith to do more of the same against his former team, tonight. The more he can make Jordan Love uncomfortable in the pocket, the more likely Love is to panic and turn the ball over.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons vs. Packers: 4 key matchups to watch in Week 3
