Packers' embarrassing home-opening loss exposes their lack of a rushing attack

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay’s most lopsided home loss in eight years underscored how the Packers must establish some semblance of a rushing attack to have any hope of competing for a fourth straight playoff berth.

“We’re going to get it going,” right tackle Anthony Belton said after the Packers were outrushed 242-17 and outscored 35-14 by the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. “That’s all I’ve got to say about it.”

They haven’t done so thus far.

Green Bay’s 146 rushing yards are the fewest in franchise history through the first three games of a season, according to Sportradar. The last time any NFL team had such a low rushing total three games into a season was in 2019, when Cincinnati, Miami and Washington all had fewer than 146 yards.

The Packers (1-2) are missing three-time Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs, who was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list after he pleaded no contest two weeks ago to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property stemming from a May altercation with his then-girlfriend.

It might not have mattered who was in the backfield for Green Bay. An offensive line decimated by multiple injuries couldn’t create running room for anyone.

Green Bay’s nine rushing attempts represented the second-lowest total in franchise history, only behind a 24-14 loss to Miami in 1994 in which the Packers ran the ball just seven times. The Packers' 17 yards rushing matched their third-lowest single game total ever.

The Packers have just 48 carries so far this year, their fewest through the first three weeks of a season since 1994, according to Sportradar.

“We’ve got to continue to work with these guys and try to figure out what we do well, because right now, I don’t know what we’re doing well offensively,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.

Atlanta snapped Green Bay’s string of 13 straight home-opening victories. This marked the Packers’ worst home loss since the Detroit Lions hammered them 31-0 in their 2018 season finale, Green Bay’s last game before LaFleur’s arrival.

Green Bay’s inability to run the ball isn’t a new problem. Even with Jacobs on the field last year, the Packers gained just 4.1 yards per carry , their lowest single-season average since 2012.

Since then, the Packers allowed left tackle Rasheed Walker to depart via free agency and released veteran lineman Elgton Jenkins, a two-time Pro Bowl guard who moved to center last year and played just nine games before an injury shut him down.

Green Bay’s offensive line took a couple more hits when right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele tore his patellar tendon and left guard Aaron Banks injured a toe in a 20-17 overtime victory over the New York Jets on Sunday. Banks didn’t play Thursday, and Bako-Bewele will miss the rest of the season.

That left a makeshift line trying to create running room for MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson, who had a combined 34 career carries before this season.

Neither Lloyd nor Johnson did much with the few running lanes that Green Bay’s line created. They remain hopeful they can turn this around.

“I think we definitely can do it,” Lloyd said. “We’ve just got to put our foot on the gas and go for it.”

Not much. Daniel Whelan landed four of his five punts inside Atlanta’s 20-yard line.

Take your pick. The Packers’ rushing woes are obvious. A defense that had given up just 2.9 yards per carry in its first two games allowed Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson to run for 194 yards. The secondary couldn’t cover Drake London, who had 194 yards receiving. On special teams, Trey Smack had a potential tying 47-yard field-goal attempt blocked in the second quarter. Green Bay cut its penalty totals to six – the Packers had totaled a league-high 26 in their first two games - but one was an unnecessary roughness call on Brenton Cox Jr. that kept alive an Atlanta touchdown drive.

WR Christian Watson had his fourth touchdown catch of the season. … WR Matthew Golden had five receptions for a career-high 100 yards.

The entire starting offensive line featuring LT Jordan Morgan, LG Jager Burton, C Sean Rhyan, RG Jacob Monk and Belton struggled. Burton, a rookie fifth-round pick, was making his first start. … QB Jordan Love is completing just 52.4% of his passes. … Lloyd has just 68 yards rushing on 23 carries this season. … Johnson has only 38 yards on 12 rushes. … TE Tucker Kraft was targeted eight times but had just four catches for 26 yards.

LB Edgerrin Cooper was evaluated for a concussion in the second half. Monk left with a quadriceps injury late in the fourth quarter.

17 — This 35-14 home-opening loss to Atlanta followed a 41-24 defeat against the Baltimore Ravens in the Packers’ 2025 home finale. This is only the third time the Packers have lost by at least 17 points in back-to-back games at Lambeau Field. The other instances came in 2006 and in 1986-87 (the Packers’ final home game in 1986 and home opener in 1987).

The Packers visit Tampa Bay on Oct. 4.

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