Falcons vs. Packers 2013: Blog reactions to Green Bay’s crucial win

Green Bay kept its playoff hopes alive with a comeback win over the Falcons.

Dec 9, 2013, 3:47 PM UTC

Jonathan Daniel

The Green Bay Packers inched toward the Detroit Lions in the NFC North standings by beating the Atlanta Falcons 22-21 at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Green Bay trailed 21-10 at halftime but rallied behind Matt Flynn to keep dreams of a playoff berth very much in tact. Flynn was impressive, completing 24 of 32 passes for 258 yards and a touchdown along with an interception. Tight end Andrew Quarless was targeted the most by Flynn, catching six passes for 66 yards and a score.

Defensively, the Packers forced two turnovers and held the Falcons to 285 yards of total offense. Morgan Burnett was active throughout, leading Green Bay with eight tackles.

Over at ACME Packing Company, Evan Western wrote about Eddie Lacy’s unsung performance:

Eddie Lacy's rushing stats won't scream "great game", as he carried the ball 20 times for 65 yards (3.3 per carry) and an early score, but they belie his effort and determination yet again. He had the most impressive one-yard carry I can remember in this game, as he was hit four yards behind the line of scrimmage but shook off the tackle to get back past the line of scrimmage. He was also a factor in the passing game early on with three receptions for 23 yards, including a 16-yard screen pass on first and 15 on the Packers' first scoring drive.

As for Atlanta, the loss is simply another disappointment in one of the franchise's worst seasons. The Falcons sit at 3-10, a shocking mark for a team expected to compete for a Super Bowl.

Matt Ryan was unspectacular, throwing for 206 yards on 20-for-35 passing with two touchdowns and an interception. Steven Jackson had one of his best games of the campaign, rushing for 71 yards on 15 carries.

Dave Choate of The Falcoholic opined about the second half:

Things just shut down in the second half. The missed field goal stunk, but the decision-making by Mike Smith and the coaching staff was just uninspired. Once again, a team came out of the half ready to do something new, and once again, the Falcons weren't able to adjust. For someone who was hoping for a win, that kinda sucks.