The schedule is officially set, and Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers fans will not have to wait until Sunday to see their teams take the field in Week 3.
The Atlanta Falcons will visit the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, September 24, 2026, with kickoff scheduled for 8:15 p.m. EDT at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. For fans in Green Bay and the Central Time Zone, the game begins at 7:15 p.m. CDT. It will be featured nationally on Thursday Night Football on Prime Video, with NFL+ also listed as an NFL viewing option.
That kickoff time immediately makes this matchup different from a normal Week 3 game.
Both teams are working on a shortened preparation schedule following games on Sunday, and Atlanta faces the additional challenge of traveling to one of the NFL’s most recognizable venues just four days after a difficult Week 2 performance.
The Falcons arrive in Green Bay at 0-2 after opening the season with a 20-13 road loss against Pittsburgh before suffering a 34-3 defeat to the Carolina Panthers in their home opener. Atlanta now has only a few days to regroup before playing under the national spotlight.
Green Bay enters the matchup in a much different mood.
The Packers began their season with a 39-22 loss at Minnesota, but they responded in Week 2 by beating the New York Jets 20-17. That victory moved Green Bay to 1-1 and gives the Packers an opportunity to climb above .500 in their first home game of the regular season.
That alone would create an interesting Week 3 storyline, but Atlanta has added another major development.
Michael Penix Jr. has been named the Falcons’ starting quarterback for Thursday night, marking his return to live NFL action after the knee injury that ended his previous season. Atlanta officially announced the decision Monday, adding another layer of attention to a game the Falcons badly need to stabilize their season.
Penix’s return could significantly change the atmosphere surrounding Atlanta’s offense.
The Falcons have produced only 16 points across their first two games, and Thursday night offers Penix an immediate opportunity to provide a spark. The difficulty is that his first start back comes on the road, on a short week, under the lights at Lambeau Field.
That is not a gentle introduction.
Green Bay will have the advantage of playing in front of its home crowd for the first time this season after opening with consecutive road games. The Packers traveled to Minnesota in Week 1 and New York in Week 2 before finally returning to Wisconsin for Thursday night’s matchup.
Lambeau Field should therefore be carrying considerable energy well before kickoff.
For Atlanta, the opening portion of the game could become especially important. Allowing Green Bay to score early and bring the crowd fully into the matchup would place additional pressure on an offense already trying to adjust around its returning quarterback.
The Falcons may instead want to establish a controlled rhythm, lean on their running game and prevent Penix from being forced into obvious passing situations too early.
Atlanta possesses an obvious weapon in Bijan Robinson. Against Pittsburgh in Week 1, Robinson rushed for 83 yards and also produced 90 receiving yards, demonstrating again how dangerous he can be when used throughout the offense.
Finding ways to involve Robinson could be even more important on Thursday.
A productive running game would help slow Green Bay’s pass rush, shorten third-down situations and allow Penix to settle into the game rather than immediately being asked to carry the offense.
Green Bay, meanwhile, has its own urgency.
The Packers recovered from their season-opening defeat with a close win over the Jets, but Thursday presents an opportunity to turn that recovery into genuine momentum. A victory would move Green Bay to 2-1 before a longer break ahead of its Week 4 road matchup against Tampa Bay.
Losing at home to an 0-2 Atlanta team would produce an entirely different conversation.
The short turnaround also creates questions about player recovery for both sides.
Atlanta’s first estimated Week 3 injury report was released Monday because the club had no normal full practice before beginning preparations for the trip to Green Bay. The Falcons are scheduled to travel Wednesday, further compressing the amount of time available for installation and physical recovery.
That is one reason Thursday Night Football can produce unpredictable games.
Coaching staffs have fewer days to make major adjustments. Players have less time to recover from the previous Sunday. Teams often must rely heavily on concepts and personnel packages they already trust.
For Atlanta, those limitations could make Penix’s return even more fascinating.
For Green Bay, the objective may be to pressure him into making difficult decisions before he can become comfortable.
Fans planning to watch should keep the essential details in mind:
Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. EDT / 7:15 p.m. CDT
Venue: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
National broadcast: Prime Video
Additional NFL streaming option: NFL+
The Packers’ official event schedule also confirms a 7:15 p.m. local kickoff at Lambeau Field, matching the league’s 8:15 p.m. Eastern listing.
For Falcons fans, Thursday represents much more than another early-season matchup.
Atlanta is trying to avoid an 0-3 start after two disappointing results, and the return of Penix gives the offense a major new storyline just when the team needs something to change.
For Green Bay, this is the opportunity to protect Lambeau Field, build on Sunday’s victory and establish a winning record before heading into the next portion of the schedule.
The kickoff time is no longer a question.
Thursday night. 8:15 p.m. Eastern. 7:15 p.m. in Green Bay.
Now the bigger question is what happens when a desperate Falcons team, a returning quarterback and a Packers squad finally playing at home collide under the lights at Lambeau Field.
