Packers Montgomery looking forward to Falcons game

Running backs accounted for only 39 of the 99 rushing yards in the NFC title game and they picked up 48 of the 108 in the regular season meeting.

Was it the 38-10 beatdown the Packers put on Seattle back in December?

A solid run game will help set up the shot plays.

There will be plenty of energy at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday night.

Green Bay deployed the “Nitro” package on 42 of 49 defensive snaps in last Sunday’s throttling of the Seahawks and the Falcons can expect to see quite a bit of it tonight.

While Nelson’s surgically repaired right knee appeared to be full strength against the Falcons in the NFC title game, he had missed the previous week’s NFC divisional win over Dallas because of the rib injury he suffered in the NFC wild card round against the New York Giants. True, 19 carries for 54 yards doesn’t look too flashy on paper but Montgomery looks bigger and stronger than in years prior. Mohamed Sanu contributed 47 yards while Coleman had 42 yards in four catches. So, this game is important for the Falcons.

Carolina: Running back Jonathan Stewart needs 144 yards vs. Buffalo to pass DeAngelo Williams (6,846) as the Panthers’ all-time leading rusher. Both Jordan Howard and rookie Tarik Cohen had solid games on the ground while Cohen provided eight catches, including a touchdown reception.

Meanwhile, this is clearly the kind of game Montgomery was built for.

Will things turn around and turn into the Packers winning on the road, beating perhaps the other two top Super Bowl contenders in the NFC and getting a leg up in the chase for home field advantage?

The Packers have the firepower to match the Falcons point-for-point in a shootout, but they must start much faster than they did in last year’s NFC Championship Game.

“I knew he had some speed”, QB Matt Ryan said when asked about Hooper’s big season opener. The Falcons won that with an offensive explosion, but the Packers are improved on defense this time around. Daniels was limited in practice Thursday but should be in no jeopardy of missing Sunday’s game.

Packers: RB Devante Mays, CB Lenzy Pipkins, LB Ahmad Brooks (concussion), OT David Bakhtiari (hamstring), OT Bryan Bulaga (ankle, illness), OT Jason Spriggs (hamstring), DT Montravius Adams (foot). He had four free shots against Seattle. If the Dolphins can get the run game on track with Jay Ajayi, they could spoil the Chargers’ official debut in L.A. After a quiet week one, all eyes will be on Jones to continue his torching of Green Bay’s secondary. Given that Morgan Burnett was utilized nearly entirely as an inside linebacker last week, having two additional dependable inside linebackers plugs up that former hole in the roster nicely. The Packers defense produced a surprisingly good performance against the Seahawks, with the front seven applying consistent pressure on Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson.