Falcons Get Packers Down, but Not Out : Atlanta Builds 21-6 Lead, but Jacke’s 22-Yard Field Goal Gives Green Bay 23-21 Win

The Pack keeps coming back, mainly because it keeps falling way behind.

For the fourth consecutive week, the Green Bay Packers came from far back in the second half and scored a 23-21 victory over the Atlanta Falcons Sunday when rookie Chris Jacke kicked a 22-yard field goal with 1:42 left.

“You look at all the games so far and I could be in a lot of these situations,” Jacke said after his third field goal of the game capped a 17-point fourth quarter.

“Every kicker wants to win the game and today I got the chance. But I don’t call anything a chip shot. You can miss anything from anywhere on the field.”

Jacke attempted only one field goal in the first three weeks of the season, but had kicks of 35 and 52 yards before the Packers (2-2) began their rally.

Atlanta (1-3) had a 14-6 halftime lead and increased it to 21-6 on Gene Lang’s 10-yard scoring run with 7:07 left in the third quarter.

“They told me to keep my chin up,” said Green Bay quarterback Don Majkowski, who threw two early pass interceptions but completed 19 of 35 passes for 295 yards and led the Packer comeback.

“Hopefully, nobody will ever give up on us. There’s unlimited potential on this team.”

The Packers got their first touchdown when Sterling Sharpe scooped up teammate Jeff Query’s fumble after a pass reception on the five-yard line and ran in for a touchdown. That capped a 90-yard drive with 13:53 left.

Later in the final quarter, Majkowski rolled out and heaved a 37-yard touchdown pass to Herman Fontenot, bringing the Packers to 21-20 with 9:44 left.

Deion Sanders, the Falcons’ top draft choice, returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for an apparent touchdown, but it was called back by a holding penalty.

“That killed us,” Falcon Coach Marion Campbell said. “We do an outstanding individual job on the run and the hold brings it back.”

Hugh Millen, starting in place of injured Chris Miller, completed 20 of 28 passes for 294 yards.

Millen moved the Falcons 80 yards after the opening kickoff, completing seven of nine passes, including three-yard touchdown to Brad Beckman, and the Packers countered with Jacke’s 35-yard field goal.

John Settle’s one-yard touchdown made it 14-3, and Jacke kicked a 52-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.