Monday 18 September 2017 10:24, UK
Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons disposed of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers 34-23 in a rematch of last year's NFC Championship game, played at Atlanta's new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Ryan threw for 252 yards and a touchdown, Devonta Freeman had a couple of scoring runs, and Desmond Trufant raced to the endzone off an attempted pass by Rodgers that was ruled a fumble.
Atlanta were ahead 24-7 at half-time and 31-7 less than a minute into the third quarter after that Trufant TD and, unlike their collapse in the Super Bowl, the Falcons made sure they held onto this lead.
After struggling offensively in a season-opening victory at Chicago that was preserved with a goal-line stand in the closing seconds, the explosive Atlanta offence was back in full force against Green Bay.
On the opening possession, Ryan guided a nine-play, 86-yard scoring drive. And while the Packers responded with a 75-yard drive of their own, capped by Ty Montgomery's one-yard TD run, it was downhill from there for Rodgers and the Green Bay offence.
The visitors lost receiver Jordy Nelson early on with a quadriceps injury, while Randall Cobb also went out with a shoulder injury and defensive tackle Mike Daniel was lost to a hamstring problem.
The Packers did show a little bit of life with a couple of fourth-quarter touchdowns, including Rodgers' 300th career scoring pass but it wasn't enough.
