The Green Bay Packers open their home schedule tonight in a contest against the Atlanta Falcons set to kick off at 5:15 p.m. Jordan Love and company split their first two games, losing to the Minnesota Vikings in their opener and last week outlasting the New York Jets in overtime, 20-17.
The Falcons have lost their first two contests, by seven points to the Steelers in Pittsburgh to open their 2026 season, and last Sunday at home against the Carolina Panthers by 31, 34-3. Atlanta hopes to rebound at Lambeau Field tonight when they get their first look this season at who they hope will develop into their franchise quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., who the Falcons picked up with the 8th overall selection in the 2024 draft.
Penix’s arrival in Atlanta quickly soured the Falcons relationship with Kirk Cousins, who they had lured from the Minnesota Vikings with a boatload of money. Cousins thought the team was making a full commitment to him being their longtime starter, but when only weeks after signing him they used their first round draft choice to pick his successor the move struck Cousins as a betrayal.
The quarterback situation in Atlanta didn’t get much better with Penix spending more time on the injured list than available for game action, and the Falcons failing to qualify for the playoffs while working out of the league’s weakest division, the NFC South. This is a grouping of four teams that all had losing records last year and allowed the Carolina Panthers entrance into the postseason and a playoff opening home game while compiling an 8-9 season mark.
Cousins is now gone, playing for the Las Vegas Raiders while the Falcons are still on the hook for a large portion of his pay. And due to nagging injuries Penix had still not moved into the starting role following Cousin’s departure until tonight.
Scouts think the Falcons eighth round pick a few years ago has the skills to be a franchise quarterback … but he needs to avoid his penchant for injuries to prove it. Tonight, we get our first look at the 2026 edition of what the Falcons hope will be their long-term answer at quarterback.
Meanwhile, the Packers are not fielding their full roster. Their best defensive player, Macah Parsons, and top runner, Josh Jacobs, are both out of action. Parsons as he continues to rehab the severe injury he suffered last December, and Jacobs for legal reasons and a suspension by the league.
Despite a single win in four starts for the two teams in action tonight, both still harbor legitimate playoff hopes. The Packers by virtue of strengthening both sides of the ball when Parsons returns from his injury and Jacobs is cleared to play. The Vikings lead the Packers by a game with a 2-0 mark, while the other three teams in the NFC North Division, the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Packers, have all split their first two games.
In other words, we have two teams in action tonight without a winning record and still thinking they are solidly in the hunt for a postseason berth. The winner will be, tonight’s loser will have an uphill climb if the playoffs are in their future.
My leanings on this one would be to the visitors plus the points, as I do think if he can stay healthy Penix can be the man to lead the Falcons to the playoffs. But I am not willing to lay money on Atlanta getting points against a Green Bay squad opening play for the 2026 season at their historic home site and not looking past tonight’s opponent.