 opened a season by scoring at least 30 points in four straight games for the first time in franchise history. Todd Gurley's two touchdown runs couldn't stop the Falcons from their first 0-4 start since 1999, when they followed a Super Bowl season by going 5-11. Green Bay was missing its top two receivers. Davante Adams sat out a second straight game with a hamstring injury and Allen Lazard had gone on injured reserve with a core problem. Yet that didn't slow down Rodgers, who capitalized on Atlanta's depleted secondary and helped Tonyan deliver the most productive performance of his young career. Tonyan had touchdown receptions of 19 and 8 yards to cap the Packers' final two first-half possessions. He added a 21-yard touchdown reception midway through the third quarter. The 2017 undrafted free agent from Indiana State finished the night with six catches for 98 yards along with his three touchdowns to set career highs in all three categories. Tonyan, who entered this season with two career touchdowns, has reached the end zone five times over his last three games. Rodgers went 27 of 33 for 327 yards. He has thrown 13 touchdown passes without an interception this season. After blowing two-touchdown leads in the fourth quarter each of the last two weeks, the Falcons (0-4) never were ahead in this one. Green Bay took the lead for good when Rodgers threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Aaron Jones on the game's opening series. Atlanta already was playing without safeties Ricardo Allen (elbow) and Keanu Neal (hamstring) as well as cornerback A. J. Terrell (COVID-19 reserve). That beleaguered secondary took more hits when safety Damontae Kazee got carted off the field and safety Jaylinn Hawkins left with a concussion in the second quarter. Green Bay capitalized by scoring touchdowns on three of its four first-half possessions to build a 20-3 halftime lead. The Packers' other first-half series ended less than a yard away from the end zone when Deion Jones stuffed Jamaal Williams on fourth-and-goal. After making that fourth-and-goal stop, Atlanta kept the ball for over 10 1/2 minutes with a 20-play, 94-yard series that included two fourth-down conversions and ended with Elliott Fry's 23-yard field goal. Fry's kick cut Green Bay's lead to 7-3. But the Falcons gained just 14 yards on their other four first-half possessions. Atlanta's offense fared better in the second half, but only after Green Bay had built a commanding lead. REACHING MILESTONESJulio Jones had four catches for 32 yards and broke the Falcons' record for career receptions despite sitting out the second half with a hamstring injury. Jones entered the night tied with Roddy White, who caught 808 passes for the Falcons from 2005-13. Rodgers became the 11th player in NFL history to have at least 4,000 completions. One of the other players to reach that mark is Atlanta's Matt Ryan, who went 28 of 39 for 285 yards with no touchdown passes or interceptions Monday. INJURY REPORTFalcons: Kazee and Hawkins didn't return after leaving the game in the second quarter. Jones didn't play the second half. Fry, who made his lone field goal try and went 1 of 2 on extra-point attempts, played because kicker Younghoe Koo was unavailable due to a groin injury. Packers: Defensive back Chandon Sullivan left with a concussion in the first half. Cornerback Kevin King injured his quadriceps. Tight end Josiah Deguara was shaken up with less than two minutes left in the game. Defensive tackle Kenny Clark (groin) missed a third straight game. Other notable inactive players included outside linebacker Rashan Gary (ankle), inside linebacker Christian Kirksey (injured reserve/pectoral) and tight end Marcedes Lewis (knee). UP NEXTThe Falcons host Carolina on Sunday. The Packers have an off week before visiting Tampa Bay on Oct. 18. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL)
Oct 01, 2020The next challenge for the winless Atlanta Falcons is imposing enough that it might not afford them an opportunity for another fourth-quarter collapse. After blowing two-touchdown leads in the final period each of the last two weeks, the Falcons could have trouble getting ahead Monday night when they visit the unbeaten Green Bay Packers. ''I know the first three weeks haven't been what we would have wanted,'' Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. ''That's for sure. But I still have a lot of faith and a lot of belief in this football team, that we're capable of winning, and winning regardless of who we're going against. '' Green Bay (3-0) is the first team in NFL history to have at least 35 points and no turnovers in each of its first three games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Packers average 6. 9 yards per play to lead the NFL. ''I feel like it's not realistic to think we'll have 40 every game, but it's not unrealistic to think we can do it, either,'' receiver Davante Adams said. The Packers have trailed in each of their games this season, which could offer Atlanta (0-3) reason for hope. Then again, getting ahead hasn't been a problem for the Falcons. Staying in front has proved much more difficult. Atlanta led the Dallas Cowboys 20-0 in the first quarter and 39-24 with 5 minutes remaining before falling 40-39 on a field goal as time expired, thanks in part to the Falcons' inexplicable failure to recover a slow-rolling onside kick. The Falcons followed that up by falling 30-26 to Chicago as the Bears scored 20 unanswered points in the final 6 1/2 minutes. The collapses brought back reminders of the Falcons blowing a 28-3 lead to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl after the 2016 season. ''There's anger, obviously,'' embattled Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. ''There's frustration that goes along when you don't play well. For us losing two games that, in the regular season, is as tough as it gets. You get tested, but you also find out a lot and learn a lot from those `L's. ' And that's what I saw from our team. '' LaFleur expects the Falcons' recent misfortune will only add to their incentive. ''We're going to have a very hungry Atlanta Falcon team coming in here that, no doubt about it, should be 2-1 right now,'' said LaFleur, a former quarterbacks coach on Quinn's Atlanta staff. ''And they're not, but that's life in this league. Every game comes down to just a couple of plays here and there that can really change the outcome. '' QUINN'S FUTUREAll eyes in Atlanta are on Quinn. The sixth-year coach came into 2020 knowing he would likely need to guide the Falcons to the playoffs to keep his job after two straight 7-9 seasons. Players have been vocal in their support of Quinn, but their opinions won't matter if the losses keep piling up. ''Look at what he's done here,'' defensive back Blidi Wreh-Wilson said. ''He's always got our backs. He's a really great coach. This is a tough spot for the team. A lot of things are being said. We just need to stay together. '' UNCERTAINTY FOR RECEIVERSEach team has a star receiver who didn't play last week due to injury. An ankle injury sidelined Green Bay's Adams while Atlanta's Julio Jones had a hamstring problem. Both returned to practice this week. But each team now has another injury in its receiving corps. Atlanta's Calvin Ridley (ankle) and Green Bay's Allen Lazard (core) didn't practice Wednesday. PROTECTING THEIR PASSERSGreen Bay has started a different combination on the offensive line for each of its first three games due to injuries, yet the Packers have allowed only two sacks all year. The Packers have given up sacks on 1. 9% of their dropbacks to rank second in the NFL behind Kansas City. The Falcons have been sacked on 3. 7% of their dropbacks, which is sixth-best in the league. INJURY ISSUES ON DEFENSEAtlanta safety Ricardo Allen (elbow) and cornerback A. J. Terrell (COVID-19) missed the Bears game. And now the Falcons have lost their most experienced cornerback, placing Darqueze Dennard (hamstring) on injured reserve. Quinn is hoping cornerback Kendall Sheffield plays Monday after he missed the team's first three games with an ailing foot. Green Bay could be missing linebacker Christian Kirksey, who left the Packers' win over the Saints with a pectoral injury. --- Sports Writer Paul Newberry in Atlanta contributed to this report. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
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