Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-25 · by Steve Megargee The Associated Press
Bijan Robinson's impressive performance helped the Atlanta Falcons defeat the Green Bay Packers 35-14 at Lambeau Field on Thursday night. Robinson rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns, while teammate Drake London caught nine passes for 194 yards. The Falcons overcame an early 7-0 deficit by scoring 27 consecutive points to take control of the game. Green Bay struggled with penalties and poor offensive line play, leading to their first home opener loss since 2012.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-25,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Michael Penix Jr., who suffered a torn ACL in November 2025, was named the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons against the Green Bay Packers on September 24, just one week after the Falcons' brutal 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The Falcons hope that Penix's return will provide a spark to an offense that failed to reach the red zone in their first two games of the season. Penix worked hard during his recovery and is set to play for the first time since November 16, 2025. Meanwhile, Tua Tagovailoa will back up Penix after missing the first two regular-season games due to an oblique injury. The game, which starts at 8:15 p.m. ET, is streamed exclusively on Prime Video. Despite being winless (0-2), the Falcons aim for their first victory of the season against a Packers team that comes into this home opener with a record of 1-1 following an overtime win over the New York Jets. The game will be played at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Written for “Michael Penix Jr Returns Falcons vs P…” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 18 other(s) covering the same event.
Bijan Robinson rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons capitalized on the return of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and trounced the punchless Green Bay Packers 35-14 on Thursday night.
asserted
Falcons → rush → night
Atlanta (1-2) erased an early 7-0 deficit by scoring 27 straight points to take control amid a chorus of boos at Lambeau Field.
asserted
Atlanta → erase → Field
The Falcons outrushed the Packers 242 yards to 17.
asserted
Falcons → outrushe → 17
Green Bay (1-2) lost a home opener for the first time since falling 30-22 to the San Francisco 49ers in 2012.
asserted
Bay → lose → 2012
The Packers had won 13 straight home openers from 2013-25 to share the NFL record with the Miami Dolphins, who also won 13 in a row from 1976-88.
asserted
who → win → 1976
Penix went 18 of 25 for 256 yards with one touchdown and an interception in his first action since tearing the ACL in his left knee during a loss to Carolina on Nov. 16.
asserted
Penix → go → Nov.
Atlanta (1-2) had struggled to produce any offense whatsoever with Cooper Rush starting at quarterback the first two weeks of the season.
asserted
Rush → struggle → season
Robinson and Drake London became the first teammates to each compile at least 150 yards from scrimmage against the Packers at Lambeau Field.
asserted
Robinson → become → Field
London caught nine passes for 194 yards.
asserted
London → catch → yards
Green Bay’s Jordan Love went 28 of 53 for 312 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
asserted
Love → go → touchdowns
MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson combined for 17 yards on eight carries.
asserted
Lloyd → combine → carries
Love was working behind an offensive line missing left guard Aaron Banks and right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele, who tore his patellar tendon Sunday and will miss the rest of the season.
asserted
who → work → season
Banks was dealing with a toe injury.
asserted
Banks → deal → injury
Jager Burton, a rookie fifth-round pick from Kentucky, made his first career start at left guard, and 2025 second-round selection Anthony Belton started at right tackle.
asserted
selection → make → tackle
The lack of discipline that hindered Green Bay in its first two games cropped up again Thursday.
Green Bay led 7-0 and had forced an apparent third-and-11 incompletion late in the first quarter when Brenton Cox Jr. was called for roughing the passer.
asserted
Jr. → hinder → passer
Robinson delivered a 55-yard carry on the next play to set up his own 3-yard touchdown run.
asserted
Robinson → deliver → run
The Packers had committed an NFL-high 26 penalties through the first two weeks of the season.
asserted
Packers → commit → season
Robinson long run allowed Atlanta to take a snap inside an opponent’s 20-yard line for the first time this season.
asserted
Atlanta → allow → time
Atlanta had been the first team since the 2008 Rams not to run any plays in the red zone through the first two weeks of a season.
asserted
Atlanta → run → season
Atlanta dominated the rest of the first half and led 17-7 at the break.
asserted
Atlanta → dominate → break
Nick Folk put Atlanta ahead by hitting a 44-yard field goal with 4:48 left in the second quarter.
asserted
Folk → put → quarter
After Atlanta’s Zach Harrison blocked Trey Smack’s 47-yard field-goal attempt, Penix threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Austin Hooper on third-and-goal with 59 seconds left in the half.
asserted
Penix → block → half
Green Bay wasted a red-zone opportunity on its first drive of the second half when Love couldn’t connect with Christian Watson in the end zone on fourth-and-1 from the 7.
asserted
Love → waste → 7
Atlanta extended the lead to 24-7 on its next possession, as Brian Robinson’s 7-yard touchdown run capped a 10-play, 92-yard drive.
asserted
run → extend → drive
Folk added a 31-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter before Love threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Golden with 8:18 remaining.
asserted
Love → add → 8:18
Bijan Robinson capped the scoring with a 2-yard TD.
asserted
Robinson → cap → TD
Injuries
Falcons: CB A.J. Terrell (groin) didn’t play after getting placed on injured reserve this week.
asserted
Terrell → play → reserve
Packers: LB Edgerrin Cooper was evaluated for a concussion in the second half.
asserted
Cooper → evaluate → half
G Jacob Monk hurt his quadriceps late in the fourth quarter.
asserted
Monk → hurt → quarter
The Aporia
