GREEN BAY, Wis. - Aaron Rodgers and the Packers staved off a game comeback bid to down the Atlanta Falcons 43-37 Monday night at Lambeau Field.
Atlanta outscored the Packers 30-12 in the second half and came within six points on a 4th-and-Goal touchdown from Matt Ryan to Harry Douglas with 2:11 left.
But Jordy Nelson would recover the resulting onside kick and the Packers drove to the Falcons 6 before letting the clock run out.
"Defensively, a tale of two halves," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "You have to give Atlanta's offense a lot of credit. We have plenty to clean up."
Aaron Rodgers completed 24-of-36 passes for 327 yards, as the Packers advance to a 7-0 home record in the quarterback's 100th career-start.
His three touchdown passes bring him one shy of the most in football this year, behind Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning (36), and is yet to throw an interception at Lambeau Field this season.
"It's preparation, it's the trust Mike [McCarthy] and I have," Rodgers said afterwards. "We had a good balance with James [Starks] and Eddie [Lacy]. It's really clicking right now."
The Packers took a hearty 31-7 lead into the halftime break as Eddie Lacy caught and rushed for a touchdown.
The star back ran for a 14-7 lead as the second quarter began off a John Kuhn block on the inside. The drive began halfway through the first quarter and included a 3rd-and-17 pass-play from their own 13, converted as Rodgers found Andrew Quarless for a 30 yard gain.
Lacy's 1-yard reception gave the Pack a 24-7 lead after Matt Ryan was intercepted by Morgan Burnett. The safety returned 32 yards into traffic, then cut across the field with waiting blockers to the Falcons 15.
Eddie Lacy rushed 13 times for 73 yards for the Packers, who now share the game's best record with Arizona (10-3).
But it would be James Starks who led Green Bay on the ground, gaining 75 yards on 10 attempts as the Packers outrushed the Falcons 179-91.
He opened scoring on the Packers' first possession, an 81 yard charge that found Lacy rush for 22 and 12 yards. Jordy Nelson connected on a 22 yard pass-play to the Falcons 3 before Starks bounced off right end for the goal.
Matt Ryan and the Falcons would ensure a 7-7 tie after the opening session on Steven Jackson's 1st-and-Goal rush from 4 yards out.
Green Bay's Nelson featured on a 10 yard touchdown from Rodgers with 24 seconds left in the opening half.
He snagged a 60 yard touchdown in the final quarter after breaking away from two safeties and taking the pigskin in stride for home.
"I just made some good separation," Nelson said afterwards of the play.
Nelson caught 8 passes for 146 yards, and his two scores bring him into a shared lead for receiving scores with Julius Thomas (12).
Mason Crosby kicked 3-of-3 field goals, including from 53 yards when the home side failed to convert on a possession after a failed Falcons onside kick late.
But Atlanta (5-8) would outshoot the Packers 10-3 in the third quarter as Matt Ryan opened the third on a 79 yarder to Julio Jones to the Packers 3. Eric Weems would catch the 4th-and-Goal touchdown after sneaking underneath the formation.
Jones hauled in a 23 yard score in the fourth to bring the visitors within ten to end a 73 yard drive.
He also converted a 4th-and-4 late with a 19 yard reception that led to Roddy White's 1-yard touchdown after the receiver sped from broken coverage along the goal line. That concluded a resilient 71 yard drive from the visitors.
Jones finished the night with 259 yards receiving on 11 catches, though left the field after his 4th-down play with an apparent injury to his side.
Matt Ryan passed for 375 yards, completing 24-of-39 passes, four touchdowns and an interception.
Atlanta shares an equal win-loss record with New Orleans, but hold a 4-0 record in the NFC South as they push for postseason contention from that awkward division.
Green Bay travels to Buffalo next Sunday, and the Falcons will visit the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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