Falcons-Packers preview

GREEN BAY, Wis. - The latest edition of Monday Night Football finds the Atlanta Falcons visiting Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay (9-3) is looking to secure a 7-0 home record this season after defeating New England there eight days ago.

"We've been great at home," Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said this week. "The fans have been excellent with the noise and we've got a good advantage with it. We've just got to keep rolling."

Rodgers threw two touchdowns on 368 yards Sunday in a quarterback duel with Tom Brady, and is yet to throw an interception at Lambeau in two calendar years, finding 31 touchdowns in that stretch, including 20 there this season.

Rodgers heads the 8th-best passing game in football (269 ypg) and will face the game's worst pass defense (284.9 ppg). He will start his 100th professional football game Monday night.

This season he has recorded 32 touchdowns, third-best in the league, against only 3 interceptions. His 32 yard score to Richard Rodgers Sunday came with 8 seconds left in first quarter, and Jordy Nelson snagged a 45 yard catch-and-run touchdown with 14 seconds remaining in the second.

"It's a big challenge for us this week with Aaron Rodgers," Falcons coach Mike Smith said this week. "No doubt, he's playing the best of any quarterback in the NFL right now. He's got a number of weapons he can get it to."

Jordy Nelson has 1,169 yards receiving for the Packers and ranks second in the game with 10 touchdowns. Randall Cobb also has 10 scores, on 922 yards through the air.

Eddie Lacy carried for 98 yards on 21 attempts in victory against the Patriots and has rushed for 100 yards in last four appearances for Green Bay. He has 6 touchdowns to his name on 770 yards this season.

He averages only 64 yards per game rushing, though Atlanta allows 118 every week. 

All of which gives Green Bay the best scoring offense in football (31.7 ppg) that on Monday will host an Atlanta group currently allowing the most overall yards per game (403.2). 

Atlanta (5-7) defeated NFC-leading Arizona last week at home, jumping out to a 17-0 lead on Matt Ryan's two touchdown passes, finishing on Matt Bryant's five field goals.

"When we play consistent football, we can put that type of performance out there," Mike Smith of their win. "These are the types of games you've got to win in November and December in order to play in January."

And despite their woeful record, the Falcons are still in control of their postseason destiny as they sit atop the equally woeful NFC South, against whom they hold a 4-0 record. 

They dropped five straight contests from Weeks 4 to 9, outscored 149-89, before heading into their Week 10 bye, though won their next two, both on the road. They fell to Cleveland on a last-second field goal before their win over the Cardinals.

Ryan went 30-of-41 Sunday, 10 of those to Julio Jones, who led receivers with 189 yards and a 32 yard touchdown early. Harry Douglas followed with 116 yards on 9 receptions.

Steven Jackson added 101 yards on 18 rushes, including a 55 yard scamper on their opening drive that led to Ryan's 1 yard scoring pass to Levine Toilolo. Atlanta outrushed Arizona 142-35.

Falcons receiver Roddy White is likely to see the field for Atlanta after missing their last game with an ankle injury. The 10-year veteran has 5 touchdowns this season on 662 yards.

Atlanta will face New Orleans to likely decide the division's representative to the postseason, and both are seeking to avoid becoming the first playoff team with a below-.500 record since the 2010 Seattle Seahawks.