Rodgers Starts, But Falcons' Ryan and Turner Too Much for Packers

While Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers was cleared to start at game time, it was another first-year starter that stole the show at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan looked calm beyond his years, completing pass after pass to receiver Roddy White, leading Atlanta to a 27-24 win and improving the Falcons' record to 3-2.

The Packers fell to 2-3, but it wasn't because of Rodgers. Rodgers completed 25-of-37 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns, shaking off his shoulder injury in time to start.

While Rodgers was making plays for the offense, it was the Packers defense that couldn't stop a Ryan-to-White combination that accounted for 132 yards, or running back Michael Turner who ran for 121 more.

It marked the third-straight loss for the Packers, who again played poorly on defense.

"I think every defense in the league prides itself on being able to stop the run first and making a team pass," Packers corner Charles Woodson said. "It seemed we couldn't do either one of those, and those kind of days make for long days."

Ryan started the scoring for the Falcons, completing a one-yard touchdown to tight end Justin Peelle on the Falcons' first series. Jason Elam added a field goal, and Atlanta led 10-0 after one quarter.

Rodgers started the second quarter scoring by connecting with receiver Donald Driver for a 44-yard touchdown. But Ryan led the Falcons right back and responded with a 22-yard touchdown pass of his own to White with 6:09 left in the first half.

Rodgers would again lead the Packers back, tying the game at 17 in the fourth quarter with a gritty touchdown pass to Greg Jennings from 25 yards out. Rodgers appeared to be in pain throughout the contest, and after several throws he held his right arm in obvious distress.

Falcons kick returner Jerious Norwood took the ensuing kickoff back 54 yards, and Ryan would proceed to march the Falcons into field-goal range, where Elam put Atlanta up 20-17 with 7:19 to play. Rodgers was intercepted by Michael Boley on the Packers next possession, and Turner punched in a touchdown from two yards out to run the score to 27-17.

"I was trying to make a play in a situation where I probably should have checked it off to the back," Rodgers said. "Boley made a nice play."

Yet the Packers got within a field goal after a Rodgers' touchdown pass to Donald Lee with 1:56 left. Unfortunately, they were unable to recover the onside kick or stop Turner on the next series to give Rodgers another chance.

The Falcons turned around their road woes by getting their first win away from the Georgia Dome, in large part because of Ryan's stellar play. He completed 16-of-26 passes with two touchdowns, looking far from a rookie making only his third road start.

"I thought he [Ryan] had a good game. I thought they did a good job on first down, particularly in the play-action phase of it. They played with favorable down and distance for the most part and he managed the game well," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said in his postgame press conference.

The Packers' injury-riddled defense were unable to pressure Ryan, and were only able to muster one turnover—a Tramon Williams interception in the end zone. And again, it was the inconsistency, penalties, and fundamental mistakes that haunted the Packers. 

"Well, we're going to talk about it as a staff because the approach of how we're addressing it and the way we're practicing it, it's not working," McCarthy said. "Anytime something happens five weeks in a row, that's a problem, and penalties have definitely been a problem throughout these first five games."

Notes: Packers tackle Chad Clifton left the game, and his status is unknown...Turner rushed for 100 yards in a road game for the first time this season...The loss, coupled with a Chicago win over Detroit, dropped the Packers out of first place in the NFC North for the first time since 2006.

—information from the Associated Press was used in this article.