Recap: Green Bay vs. Atlanta
Sports Network | October 05, 2008
Green Bay, WI (Sports Network) - Michael Turner finished with 121 yards and a touchdown as the Atlanta Falcons downed the Green Bay Packers, 27-24, at Lambeau Field.
Matt Ryan went 16-for-26 with 194 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while Roddy White hauled in eight catches for 132 yards and a score for the Falcons (3-2), who are one win away from their 2007 total.
Aaron Rodgers finished the game 25-for-37 with 313 yards, three touchdowns and an interception while Ryan Grant had 83 yards on 18 carries for the Packers (2-3), who have dropped three straight games. Greg Jennings had four catches for 87 yards and a score in the loss.
After the Packers had tied the game on a score from Jennings, the Falcons got a 54-yard kickoff return from Jerious Norwood to help setup a 41-yard field goal from Jason Elam for a 20-17 lead with 7:19 remaining.
Rodgers had a costly turnover after getting the ball back as a pass fell short and Michael Boley picked it off to give Atlanta the ball at the Green Bay 19.
Three plays later, Turner punched it in from two yards out for a 27-17 lead with 3:35 to play.
Green Bay didn't quit, though, as it needed just 1:39 to march down the field and a four-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Donald Lee made it a three- point game with 1:56 to play.
Atlanta, though, recovered the onsides kick and killed off the remainder of the clock for the win.
Atlanta started the game with the ball and drove the length of the field to take the early lead. The team converted a pair of third downs on the drive and on 4th-and-goal at the one-yard line, Ryan hit Justin Peelle in the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
The Falcons held the Packers to a three-and-out, including a sack of Rodgers, on the ensuing possession and got the ball back at their 39. The drive stalled at the Packers 24 and a 42-yard field goal from Elam with 4:15 left in the first made it a 10-0 game.
The Packers got their offense on track in the second quarter to cut into their deficit. On 3rd-and-1, Rodgers lofted a bomb that found its way between two defenders and into the hands of Donald Driver for a 44-yard score to make it a 10-7 game with 9:42 left in the first half.
However, the Falcons answered on their ensuing possession. A nine-play, 90- yard drive was capped when Ryan threw up a pass to the right side of the end zone and White came down with it for a 22-yard score and a 17-7 advantage with 6:02 left in the second.
Green Bay lined up for a 43-yard field goal from Mason Crosby with 1:20 left in the first half and he nailed it, but a holding penalty nullified the field goal and Crosby's subsequent 53-yard attempt fell short and wide and the Falcons took a 10-point lead into the half.
The teams exchanged punts in the third quarter and Green Bay started a scoring drive at its own two-yard-line. On 1st-and-10 at the Green Bay 46, Grant busted a 14-yard run around the right end to get the ball into Atlanta territory. The drive, though, stalled and a 50-yard field goal from Crosby with 27 ticks left on the clock in the third made it a 17-10 game.
Atlanta attempted to answer the field goal with a score of its own and got into scoring position, but Ryan had a pass picked off by Tramon Williams in the end zone and the Packers took advantage of the turnover.
The team struck quickly as they needed only four plays to tie the game as Rodgers found Jennings in the end zone from 25 yards out to make it a 17-17 contest with 10:08 left in the game.
Driver, who finished the game with three catches for 68 yards, has caught a pass in 100 straight games, which is the second longest in team history...The Packers were 7-0 when Grant had 18-plus rushing attempts coming into the game...Green Bay had won three of the past four against Atlanta...Elam has converted all 11 field goal attempts this season...White has 20 catches for 341 yards and two scores in the past three games.
