NFL
By: Greg Rector
Can the Green Bay Packers continue to win with Jordan Love? Or will the Atlanta Falcons take down the Green Bay Packers? Let’s look at this game of two teams who are both 1-0.
Green Bay Packers Offense
Can Jordan Love find the same amount of success as he had in the game against the Chicago Bears? That has to be the question the GoPackGo crowd has to be asking themselves after witnessing Love throw the way he did against a fairly hapless Bears defense in week one. If Love finds Romeo Doubs and can get enough of a contribution from running back Aaron Jones the Packers just might leave for Lambeau Field as a 2-0 team.
Jordan Love might have wide receiver Christian Watson back for this game as well. That would be a huge target and would mean he only has to lean on two rookie wide receivers instead of needing three as he had to use in the Bears game. If he has Watson back can he continue to be tied for the league in touchdown passes? This game will be interesting, to say the least.
The problem for Love and the Green Bay Packers though will be an Atlanta Falcons defense that played a great game against the Carolina Panthers and has every intention of repeating that performance. The Falcons got exactly what they paid for in free agency from safety Jessie Bates who had two interceptions for the Atlanta Falcons. If they continue seeing that type of play the Falcons will make life miserable for Jordan Love.
The Green Bay Packers offensive line protected Jordan Love nicely in their first game and I can see them doing the same thing against the Atlanta Falcons.
Green Bay Packers Defense
Here is where the Green Bay Packers must play up to their billing. Facing rookie running back Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgiere is not going to be much fun for the Packers’ front seven.
Lukas Van Ness and Karl Brooks enjoyed their first NFL game as they each had a quarterback sack. If they can do that when Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder does throw the football he only threw the ball 18 times in their week one victory over the Carolina Panthers then the Green Bay Packers should head home for their first game back at Lambeau Field as an unbeaten team.
Jaire Alexander and the rest of the Green Bay Packers secondary will be much busier stopping the Falcons’ ground game rather than dealing with Ridder and very many passes.
My Prediction
I actually have the Green Bay Packers going home as a 2-0 team even without Christian Watson if he does miss his second game of the season. I just believe the Packers’ defense is good enough against the run and will have enough offense to beat the Falcons by a score of 24-14.
I really can’t see the Atlanta Falcons succeeding unless their defense turns the ball over enough and until Arthur Smith actually uses his passing attack.
