The Falcons could be missing more than a few starters when they face the Panthers this weekend.
On offense, the Falcons could be without up to four starters along the offensive line. Drew Dalman, Chris Lindstrom, and Jake Matthews have all been given questionable designations, while Kaleb McGary has already been ruled out.
David Onyemata, Nate Landman, Bud Dupree, and LaCale London received the same honor on the other side of the ball.
Some are more important to the team than others. Storm Norton will start in place of McGary, and he’s been useful in recent weeks. However, if Dalman or Lindstrom are unavailable, Ryan Neuzil and Kyle Hinton may be in trouble.
Derrick Brown is one of the league’s most dangerous defenders. He’s too much for Lindstrom and Dalman to handle, let alone a couple of backups. If Matthews is unable to play, Tyler Vrabel will be called upon, and drawing Brian Burns isn’t exactly encouraging for the Falcons.
We obviously want those guys there, but no one would be missed more than David Onyemata. The absence of the interior defender was noticeable last week, and the Panthers’ only chance of beating the Falcons is dependent on the success of their rushing attack. Having Onyemata out there would be a huge boost for Atlanta in that department.
However, Bud Dupree and Nate Landman are important run defenders as well. Landman has been a complete revelation this season, and he’s a thumping linebacker when it comes to run defense.
Hopefully, most, if not all, of them will be able to play on Sunday in what is essentially a must-win game. Based on how the players listed have been trending this week, I expect at least half of them to play.
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