The Green Bay Packers barely survived against the New York Jets in a 20-17 overtime win to avoid going 0-2. They can't get too complacent, though, as they now have a quick turnaround against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football in Week 3.
It'll be the first of two Thursday night games for the Packers, but a good chance to notch a second win and then get a couple of extra days off before their Week 4 game. The Falcons, meanwhile, will look to avoid going 0-3 and will turn to a new quarterback to try to do so.
As the third week of the regular season arrives on a quick turnaround, let's take a look at some of the biggest things to watch for in the game, who might be the team's X-factors, and what the Packers need to do to win.
Three things to watch in Packers vs. Falcons in Week 3
1. Home sweet home
After two weeks on the road to start the season, the Packers finally get their home opener at Lambeau Field. It's the first time the Packers have played a home game since December 2025, and after back-to-back sloppy performances on the road, they'll likely be looking to get into some rhythm at home.
Matt LaFleur's team, particularly its offense, has struggled to get much going on the road so far, so perhaps the confines of a home field will allow the offensive line to perform a bit better, and the offense as a whole to get going.
The Packers have won their past 13 home openers.
2. Who plays on the offensive line?
Speaking of the offensive line, it's still an issue.
Last week, starting right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele suffered a season-ending torn patellar tendon. With the team's best offensive lineman now out for the year, the Packers will yet again turn to its bench for help.
This time, Anthony Belton will step in for Bako-Bewele, but who joins him is anyone's guess. Donovan Jennings has been rough at guard in real action, and while Jager Burton played well as a late replacement in the Jets game, it's unclear just who we'll see start on Thursday. What we do know, though, is they'll have to find a way to play much better than they have been.
3. Will any running back step up?
Much like the Packers' offensive line, the team's running back situation has been bleak. Neither MarShawn Lloyd nor Kaleb Johnson has stepped up in Josh Jacobs' absence, and Chris Brooks is utilized more as an added pass blocker when he's on the field.
When combined with the awful offensive line play, the Packers haven't been able to get much of any run game going, despite Matt LaFleur's insistence to keep trying. Will any running back take the reins this week?
Biggest X-factors for Packers in Week 3
Jordan Love
This circles back to the offensive line as a whole, but after last Sunday's game, it's worth mentioning. Love was less than great against the Jets. While the weather and a potential hit to his throwing hand didn't help, Love did struggle.
The Falcons' defense, much like the Vikings' and Jets' before it, is no slouch either, and currently ranks third in pressure rate despite only being 31st in blitz rate. That means that not only will the Packers' offensive line need to step up, but Love will too. A settled Packers offense is a good one, as we've briefly seen this year, but we'll need to see it more on Thursday.
Anthony Belton
Belton spent all summer playing right tackle while Zach Bako-Bewele rehabbed from his season-ending injury in 2025. Now, he becomes the starter and one of the Packers' biggest X-factors. Although he's been listed as limited in practice reports, Matt LaFleur said he anticipates Belton playing.
The 2025 second-round pick has just seven starts under his belt, and what he'll bring to the team is unknown. The offensive line as a whole has been rough, but Belton will now need to step in and play a big role.
Lukas Van Ness
Van Ness was the star of the Packers' win over the Jets. His 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and big play on fourth down kept the Packers in the contest and eventually contributed to their win. Now, he'll need to have another big game.
Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is making his first start of the season, and although the Falcons are 0-2, they are not starved for talent. It'll be up to Van Ness and the Packers' defense to make sure the team doesn't get too hot.
Packers' key to winning against the Falcons in Week 3
Keep the pressure on
Without Micah Parsons, many thought the Packers' defense would struggle to find anyone to create pressure. Instead, the team is doing it at a higher clip than even last year, at times. According to Next Gen Stats, the Packers have the third-highest quarterback pressure rate in the NFL, at 45.6 percent.
That's a huge improvement over last year's numbers, even with Parsons, and it has to continue if the Packers want any form of success moving forward.
Get the offense going
The Packers' offense has always been its bread and butter, but the unit has struggled to get anything going so far. After three amazing quarters in Minnesota, the offense has been a slog. Last week, it was easy to point to the rain, but they'll need to prove they can score at a much higher clip than 20 points per game going forward.
The Falcons will be without some key defensive talent, including star cornerback A.J. Terrell, but the Packers will still have a tall task ahead of them.
Ditch the predictable play-calling
Last week, the Packers ran the ball on the first play of nine of their 12 drives. LaFleur's play-calling has traditionally been a big strength of his coaching skills, but it has gotten a bit predictable to start the year.
Whether it be the weather, the crowd in Minnesota, or something else, the team will have to ditch some of its more obvious looks if they want to get the offense going again.
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