Packers vs. Falcons prediction, odds, spread, injuries, trends for NFL Week 2

There are certainly some playoff spots up for grabs in the NFC. Especially with how playoff teams from 2022, like the Giants and Vikings, performed in Week 1 of 2023. The Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers both missed out on the postseason last year and both came into 2023 with a new starting quarterback. 

Those new QBs, Jordan Love and Desmond Ridder, got them to 1-0 and now this Week 2 matchup could have serious playoff implications. BetSided NFL betting analyst Iain MacMillan makes a pick on every game in his "Road to 272." You can see what he likes in this matchup and keep reading for a full preview. We’ll get into the odds, but first check out this promo from FanDuel Sportsbook that nets you $200 in bonus bets. 

All you need to do is click the link below to sign up and deposit $5. Then place a $5 bet on this matchup to receive $200 in bonus bets, plus get $100 off NFL Sunday Ticket. 

Now, here are the odds for Green Bay and Atlanta on Sunday afternoon. 

Packers vs. Falcons odds, spread and total 

Falcons vs. Packers Betting Trends

• Falcons are 1-0 ATS
• The UNDER is 1-0 in Falcons games
• Packers are 1-0 ATS
• The OVER is 1-0 in Packers games
• Packers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games
• Falcons are 4-8 ATS in their last 12 games
• The UNDER is 6-1 in the Falcons' last seven games
• Falcons are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games against NFC North opponents

Packers vs. Falcons injury reports

Packers injury report

• Anthony Johnson Jr. - S - Questionable (knee)
• Christian Watson - WR - Questionable (hamstring)
• Quay Walker - LB - Questionable (concussion)
• Aaron Jones - RB - Questionable (hamstring)
• Eric Stokes - CB - Out indefinitely (foot)

Falcons injury report

• Jeff Okudah - CB - Questionable (ankle)
• Cordarrelle Patterson - RB - Questionable (thigh)

Packers vs. Falcons how to watch

• Date: Sunday, September 17
• Time: 1:00 PM EST
• Venue: Mercedes Benz Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): FOX
• Packers Record: 1-0
• Falcons Record: 1-0

Packers vs. Falcons key players to watch

Packers

Jordan Love, QB: It’s the Jordan Love era, and it got off to a good start. Love went 15/27 for 245 yards and three touchdowns. He was effective and efficient even without WR Christian Watson on the field. Love missed a few throws and a 55.6% completion percentage won’t cut it against better defenses. It was good, not great, but Green Bay will take a 38-point performance from their new-look offense. 

Falcons

Bijan Robinson, RB: You can argue about the value of drafting a running back in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, but you can’t argue about Robinson’s talent. That was clear in Week 1 when Robinson made a ridiculous juke after catching a ball in the flat and turned a potential loss into a touchdown. Just keep your eyes on No. 7 every time he’s on the field. He finished with 56 rushing yards on 10 carries and 27 yards and a touchdown through the air. 

Packers vs. Falcons prediction and pick

On the scoreboard, the Falcons took a 24-10 win, but when you dig into the stat sheet it’s not quite as pretty. Atlanta only gained 221 yards while allowing 281 to Bryce Young and Carolina. Desmond Ridder only threw for 115 yards on 15/18 passing with one touchdown and no interceptions, and yet, I’m high on this offense in Week 2. 

Arthur Smith knows what his team is. He knows exactly what he wants to do with his big, physical offense. He wants to run the ball. The Falcons did that well, rushing for 130 yards with 75 courtesy of Tyler Allgeier. He ran for 5.0 yards per carry and Bijan Robinson went for 5.6 a carry. In 2022, the Falcons finished fourth in yards per carry averaging 4.9. 

A year ago, the Packers were 26th in rushing defense and gave up five yards per carry. They have spent a lot of high draft picks to build up this defense, but defensive coordinator Joe Barry isn’t very interested in stopping the run. That’s been a big issue for the Packers and I think it will be a recurring one.  

Defensively, I’m not sold on Atlanta. They held a rookie quarterback to 14 points in his debut, but they also allowed the Panthers to run for 154 yards. The Falcons were 25th in yards per play allowed in 2022 and Green Bay was 28th. There will be a lot of opportunities for both teams to score. 

The over is 6-4 in Green Bay’s last 10 games dating back to last season, and that will be my bet in this one. 

Follow all Josh Yourish’s bets HERE

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change