In the first game of the season, the Green Bay Packers beat the Seattle Seahawks last week. The Packers rallied in the second half of the game to win the game by a score of 17-9. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw the game-winning touchdown. Now Rodgers will face Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in a showdown that fans won't want to miss. As the two teams prepare to meet on the field, the Packers are prepared as they have drafted and developed new players and are getting ready to chase another championship title.
Outlook for Packers chance at the title
ESPN reported that the general manager for the Packers has gone silent after the preseason. Ted Thompson held weekly media conferences during training camp. The team's philosophy has been "draft and develop" with 51 of the 53 team players being homegrown talent. Thompson used free agents to help build the roster including tight end Martellus Bennett and defensive tackle Quinton Dial. This included seven veterans from other teams. The starting roster for last year only included one tight end, Jared Cook. According to one NFL executive who is familiar with Thompson's team development philosophy, the team needed to get better. Thompson's philosophy has shifted in that it was about finding the right few pieces to round out the team rather than making big changes.
Falcons three-point favorite in quarterback showdown
The Packers news site reported that the two-time MVP Aaron Rodgers would take on the reigning award winner Matt Ryan. Ryan is the current reigning MVP. This will be the first time the two teams will face off in the Falcon's new Mercedes-Benz. stadium. Ryan is the first player to receive the award two years in a row since Peyton Manning won the award for the 2008-09 seasons.
The Packers have actually faced three MVPs since McCarthy took over as coach although all the MVP players were running backs. The last five times that Rodgers and Ryan have gone head to head, in 2011, 2014, and 2016 regular games, and then the 2010 and 2016 playoffs, the quarterback who had the better passing rating became the victor.
In seven previous clashes between the two quarterbacks, 10 of the 14 passer ratings between the two were above 100. This rivalry is considered to be the best quarterback matchup in the NFC.
FalconsWire reported that the Atlanta Falcons were expected to be a three-point favorite against the Green Bay Packers. This is the first regular season game the Falcons will play in their new stadium and were originally 2.5 point favorites.The only changes expected since the point spread was announced is that tackles Bryan Bulaga and David Bakhtiari may not be able to play, which will affect the starting line-up. Jason Spriggs, who has a hamstring injury, may not be able to play either.