Michael Penix Jr.‘s return comes at a time when the winless Atlanta Falcons need someone to provide a jolt for their lifeless offense.
asserted
Falcons → come → offense
Atlanta’s offense couldn’t reach the red zone as the Falcons opened the season with losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers.
asserted
Falcons → reach → Steelers
The Falcons were the first team since the Rams in 2008 not to run any plays from inside an opponent’s 20-yard line through the first two games of a season.
asserted
Falcons → run → season
Penix now is back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
asserted
Penix → tear → knee
The 26-year-old quarterback is ready to play his first game since Nov. 16 on Thursday night as the Falcons visit the Green Bay Packers.
asserted
Falcons → play → Packers
“I’ve been working extremely hard to get to this point,” Penix said.
asserted
Penix → work → point
Atlanta (0-2) needs the boost that Penix will try to provide.
asserted
Penix → need → that
Cooper Rush and Jack Strand threw a combined five interceptions with one touchdown pass — a 23-yarder from Rush to Bijan Robinson in Week 1 — while Penix worked his way back.
asserted
Penix → throw → way
The Packers expect to face a more capable Atlanta offense now that Penix is back.
asserted
Penix → expect → offense
“He’s a quarterback that’s gone in there and played really solid football,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.
asserted
LaFleur → ’ → football
“So I would bet that their offense is going to look a little bit different Thursday night.”
asserted
offense → bet → ?
Green Bay (1-1) has concerns of its own.
asserted
Bay → have → own
All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons is recovering from a torn ACL and running back Josh Jacobs remains on the commissioner’s exempt list.
asserted
Jacobs → recover → list
Wide receiver Jayden Reed and offensive tackle Zach Bako-Bewele were carted off the field during the Packers’ 20-17 overtime victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.
asserted
Reed → cart → Sunday
Bako-Bewele tore his patellar tendon and will miss the rest of the season.
asserted
Bewele → tear → season
The injury to Bako-Bewele creates more adversity for an offensive line that hasn’t established a rhythm yet.
asserted
that → create → rhythm
Left guard Aaron Banks injured his toe against the Jets, leaving his status for Thursday’s game uncertain.
asserted
Banks → injure → game
Packers quarterback Jordan Love says all those injuries up front shouldn’t change the expectations.
asserted
injuries → say → expectations
“I expect those guys to go out there and put their best foot forward and give me time to be able to go out there and try dicing a defense up,” Love said.
asserted
Love → expect → defense
“That’s the expectations, whoever’s out there.
asserted
whoever → ’ → ?
Nothing changes.
asserted
Nothing → change → ?
Need to know
Atlanta (0-2) at Green Bay (1-1)
When/where to watch: Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Amazon Prime
Latest odds: Packers by 5 1/2.
Against the spread: Falcons 0-2; Packers 0-2
Last week: Packers beat the New York Jets 20-17 in overtime on the road; Falcons lost 34-3 at home to the Carolina Panthers
Last meeting:
asserted
Falcons → need → Panthers
Series record: Packers lead 19-17
Matchup to watch
Robinson vs. Packers’ run defense:
asserted
Packers → lead → defense
After earning All-Pro honors last season, Robinson has rushed for 155 yards on 37 carries through Atlanta’s first two games this season.
asserted
Robinson → earn → games
Green Bay is allowing just 2.85 yards per carry.
asserted
Bay → allow → carry
Only the Los Angeles Chargers are giving up fewer yards per rush.
asserted
Chargers → give → rush
Stats and stuff
— Robinson is the third-youngest player in NFL history to have at least 4,000 rushing yards (4,065) and 200 receptions (209) at 24 years, 233 days.
asserted
Robinson → have → years
Only Hall of Famers Edgerrin James (24 years, 129 days) and LaDainian Tomlinson (24 years, 160 days) were younger when reaching those marks.
asserted
James → reach → marks
— Robinson reached 4,000 yards in 53 games, the fewest games to that milestone in team history.
asserted
Robinson → reach → history
William Andrews reached the mark in 54 games.
asserted
Andrews → reach → games
— Falcons WR Drake London reached 4,000 receiving yards (4,041) in 64 games.
asserted
London → reach → games
Only Julio Jones (47) and Andre Rison (62) reached 4,000 receiving yards in fewer games in Falcons history.
asserted
Jones → reach → history
— The Falcons rank last in the league with 123.5 passing yards per game, 31st with 8.0 points per game and 29th with 262 total yards per game.
asserted
Falcons → rank → game
— Atlanta’s minus-6 turnover margin ranks last in the league.
asserted
margin → rank → league
— Atlanta edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, who played for Green Bay from 2019-21, has 2 1/2 sacks in his first two games with the Falcons.
asserted
who → play → Falcons
— The Packers are seeking to win their home opener for a 14th straight year, which would set an NFL record.
asserted
which → seek → record
The Packers are currently tied for the longest such streak with the Miami Dolphins, who won 13 straight home openers from 1976-88.
asserted
who → tie → 1976
— The Packers rank last in the league in third down conversion rate (19.1%).
asserted
Packers → rank → rate
— Green Bay has committed the most penalties (26) for the most yards (231) of any NFL team.
asserted
Bay → commit → team
— Packers WR Christian Watson has three touchdown catches in Green Bay’s first two games.
asserted
Watson → have → games
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
