After two excruciating losses, the Atlanta Falcons rallied for a 33-32 victory over the Green Bay Packers when Matt Ryan threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu with 31 seconds remaining Sunday.

 

With Julio Jones shut down in the second half, Ryan turned to Sanu to bail out Atlanta (5-3). He caught five passes for 50 yards on the final possession, the last of them a touchdown pass in the back of the end zone after he got matched against linebacker Jake Ryan.

Sanu had nine catches for 84 yards, both season highs in his first year with the Falcons. Atlanta needed every one of them, since Jones was held to three catches for 29 yards and targeted only once in the second half - a dropped pass on the final possession.

 

But Jones helped Sanu get open on the winning play, drawing two defenders when they lined up on the same side of the field.

Ryan was 28 of 35 for 288 yards and three touchdowns.

 

Rodgers threw for 246 yards, teaming up with a bunch of unknown receivers as the banged-up Packers played without six starters. 

 

Three Green Bay receivers - Geronimo Allison, Trevor Davis and Jeff Janis - got their first career touchdown. Allison, in fact, had just been promoted from the practice squad and never caught a pass in an NFL game. Ditto for Davis, a rookie who had mainly been used as a returner.

 

Rodgers was also Green Bay's leading rusher with a career-high 60 yards on six carries. 

 

The Packers return home next Sunday to face the Indianapolis Colts (3-5), in what will be the only game played in Green Bay during the month of November. After that, it's three straight on the road.