Two of the most disappointed teams in the NFC will face off in a mostly meaningless game unless you talk to the quarterbacks. Neither team is officially eliminated from the playoff race, which is why the passers insist they continue to play for a spot.
Green Bay’s management team didn’t indicate they have much hope for this season when they fired long-time head coach, Mike McCarthy, right after last week’s 20-17 upset loss to Arizona. Aaron Rodgers won’t feel too bad about his former coach as the two openly traded barbs during the season.
Reports came out during the week that Rodgers was routinely changing play calls that came in from McCarthy. But neither one of them was involved in the missed field goal as time expired that could have tied the game and given the Packers a chance to avoid the upset in front of the Lambeau fans.
Meanwhile, Atlanta had legitimate hopes to be the first NFL team to play in a Super Bowl hosted in their own city. Injuries destroyed the Falcons’ defense early, but after three straight victories brought them back to 4-4, fans hoped the team could salvage a wild card.
That was four losses ago. Matt Ryan is having a great season that will be wasted. The inability to run the ball effectively since Devonta Freeman joined the others on injured reserve has hurt and the defensive backfield is simply overwhelmed.
At least the teams will enjoy easier schedules next season.
Injuries and notes
Just a week after Rodgers lost the entire left side of his offensive line during the game, Green Bay saw both right guard Byron Bell and right tackle Bryan Bulaga carted off before halftime. Green Bay’s injuries can’t be overlooked either when evaluating what went wrong with this team.
The Packers, entire defensive backfield is banged up and listed as questionable. Backup safety, Ibraheim Campbell, was added to the injured reserve.
Injuries hit every facet of the Falcons team this year. They finally got kicker Matt Bryant back from injury last week. Now, their veteran long snapper, Josh Harris, is done for the year. He was placed on IR Tuesday.
Coaching matchup
Former Dolphins head coach, Joe Philbin, will be the interim coach in Green Bay. One of his first acts was to fire longtime assistant head coach Winston Moss. That action came soon after Moss tweeted a call for leadership, with the line, “Find somebody who is going to hold #12 and everybody in this building to a Lombardi standard.”
Moss’ support for the man who employed him for 12 years is admirable, but it wasn’t going to serve Philbin very well in what amounts to an audition for another head coaching job.
Atlanta’s Dan Quinn was informed, as was the media and the fans, that owner Arthur Blank has written off this season to the injuries and will not be blaming or removing coaches involved.
How to watch the Packers-Falcon NFL game
Preseason schedule makers probably envisioned this as a potential Game of the Week. Instead, the TV market will be limited to the Atlanta area and the northern half of the Great Plains. Fans in those areas can watch the live stream feed of Fox Sports’ production on Fubo TV.
Fubo TV lets you watch the game on your internet-connected television, or wherever you can get a Wi-Fi signal on your favorite handheld device.
When the game is over, you can enjoy any of the dozens of movie and entertainment channels included in the low-cost monthly subscription. Fubo TV, like DirecTV Now, Sling, and most internet TV providers, can meet all your TV needs for just a fraction of what satellite or cable charges you.
With no contract or expensive equipment to worry about, Fubo TV, Sling TV, and DirecTV Now should be in your future. Use their free trials to see why. Visit their websites today!
Read More: NFL Week 15 Game Preview: Packers at Bears
Who will win the Packers vs Falcons game?
Green Bay is anxious to wipe away the stench of last week’s home loss and show fans they are better than how they’ve looked all season. Atlanta is too damaged to expect much from themselves in Lambeau Field, but this game could easily be a shootout.
