Packers film room: Brief notes on the defense’s coverage bust in week 3

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 24: Drake London #5 of the Atlanta Falcons runs with the ball after a catch against Brandon Cisse #2 of the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter of the game at Lambeau Field on September 24, 2026 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Packers week three defense against Atlanta, at least versus the Falcons pass game, was defined by two plays. Drake London caught passes of 68 and 40 yards in the fourth quarter, catches that helped him finished with nine catches for a career-high 194 yards, The 68-yarder and the 40-yarder given up by the defense accounted for 108 of those yards and led directly to 10 of Atlanta's points.

Atlanta led 24-7 heading into the fourth quarter. The 4th quarter opened with Penix hitting London for 68 yards on third-and-2 from deep in their own territory. The down and distance is a high leverage down for the Falcons. On third-and-2, a defense has to respect the short game, including the run, the quick slant, and the flat, and Green Bay's coverage lost London in the process.

The defense is playing single high cover-3 to protect the short area and be in a position to defend the run. Brandon Cisse is the corner to the weak side aligned about seven yards off and to the outside of London who is in a stack alignment off the ball with the tight end.

The Falcons have a 2*2 four verticals concept called and this is the ideal defensive coverage to run it against.

Running four verticals against single high coverage can put the safety in a bind because the quarterback can manipulate the safety's movement and move him away from a vertical matchup he wants.

That's what quarterback Michael Penix does here. Xavier McKinney, as the deep safety, bails to the deep third down the boundary hash but Penix's eyes move him away from the boundary.

Cisse inexplicably pushes to the flat as London gives him and out and up move and he doesn't run with him initially. He only does once he realizes he has no help over the top. The result is a coverage bust and wide open throwing window for Penix.

The drive didn't finish with a touchdown. A holding penalty and Javon Bullard's two-yard tackle for loss on Brian Robinson stalled it, and Nick Folk's 31-yard field goal made it 27-7 with 10:57 left. Even so, adding points on that possession effectively ended the game with nearly 11 minutes to play.

After this, Green Bay made a push to get back in it. Jordan Love hit Matthew Golden for a 15-yard touchdown on a slant, cutting the lead to 27-14 with 8:18 left. The Falcons responded with a drive to keep the Packers from building momentum. After Bijan Robinson picked up four yards on third-and-2, London caught a 40-yard pass that took the ball to the Packers' 13.

Later in the game, Penix hit London on a 40-yarder that was more about London beating tight coverage. It would've been a contested pass with cornerback Keisean Nixon but fell down in coverage as the ball arrived.

Nixon was initially in position over the top inside of London and was locked up until the point London disengaged to track the ball well to the inside of his route. he fell down as the two disengaged from contact and Penix trusted his receiver's size and hands.

London jumped inside and caught the ball in mid air. Bijan Robinson finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run, and a successful two-point conversion made it 35-14 with 3:33 left.