Hometown Broadcasting Sports Tuesday 10/6/20
6 October 2020 Sports
Aaron Rodgers connected with tight end Robert Tonyan on three of his four touchdown passes as the Green Bay Packers remained unbeaten with a 30-16 victory over the winless Atlanta Falcons. Tonyan had touchdown receptions of 19 and 8 yards to cap the Packers’ final two first-half possessions. He added a 21-yard touchdown reception midway through the third quarter. It was also another outstanding game for quarterback Aaron Rodgers as he completed 27 of 33 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns. The other touchdown pass of six yards went to running back Aaron Jones on Green Bay’s first possession. Rodgers has opened the season with 13 touchdown passes and no interceptions.
The Falcons (0-4), who had leads of two touchdowns in each of their last two games entering the fourth quarter but blew them, were never ahead in this one. Green Bay capitalized by scoring touchdowns on three of its four first-half possessions to build a 20-3 halftime lead. The Packers’ other first-half series ended less than a yard away from the end zone when Deion Jones stuffed Jamaal Williams on fourth-and-goal. After making that fourth-and-goal stop, Atlanta kept the ball for over 10 1/2 minutes with a 20-play, 94-yard series that included two fourth-down conversions and ended with Elliott Fry’s 23-yard field goal. Fry’s kick cut Green Bay’s lead to 7-3. Rodgers then threw two touchdowns to Tonyan to close out the half. Aaron Jones rushed 15 times for 71 yards.
Todd Gurley’s two touchdown runs couldn’t stop the Falcons from their first 0-4 start since 1999. Quarterback Matt Ryan was 28 of 39 for 285 yards but no touchdowns.
The Packers (4-0) opened the season by scoring at least 30 points in four straight games for the first time in franchise history. Green Bay now enters the bye week in first place in the NFC North, a game ahead of the Chicago Bears. Next up for the Packers after the bye is a matchup with Tampa Bay and Tom Brady on October 18th in a late afternoon game.
- The Packers were playing without a number of key players including wide receivers Davante Adams (groin) and Allen Lazard (core) along with Christian Kirksey, Marcedes Lewis, Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary. Kirksey and Lazard were placed on injured reserve.
During the game, the players who came out due to injuries included:
- Chandon Sullivan – concussion
- Kevin King – quad
- Krys Barnes – shoulder
- Josiah Deguara
Darnell Savage was also injured and walked off the field on his own power, but came back onto the field later in the game.
Atlanta already was playing without safeties Ricardo Allen (elbow) and Keanu Neal (hamstring) as well as cornerback A.J. Terrell (COVID-19 reserve). That beleaguered secondary took more hits when safety Damontae Kazee got carted off the field and safety Jaylinn Hawkins left with a concussion in the second quarter. Julio Jones had four catches for 32 yards and broke the Falcons’ record for career receptions despite sitting out the second half with a hamstring injury.
In the other Monday Night game Kansas City scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to win at home over the New England Patriots 26-10. Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes for the Chiefs while Patriots starting quarterback Cam Newton sat out the game after testing positive for Coronavirus. Kansas City improves to 4-0 while the New England drops to 2-2.
The American League Championship Series got underway Monday with Houston beating Oakland 10-5 and the Yankees pounding the Rays 9-3. The teams play again today. The NLCS gets underway today as Miami plays at Atlanta and the Padres play the Dodgers
Tonight it’s game four of the NBA Finals as the Lakers play the Heat. Los Angeles leads in that series 2-1.
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