Getty Wide receiver Calvin Ridley #18 of the Atlanta Falcons celebrates with teammate wide receiver Julio Jones #11.
It’s Monday Night Football and we are an hour away from kickoff at Lambeau Field. The Atlanta Falcons inactives have been released.
Atlanta will be without their top safeties, Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen, along with two other notables defensive end Takk McKinley and kicker Younghoe Koo.
Falcons inactives vs. Packers: S Keanu Neal, S Ricardo Allen, DE Takk McKinley, K Younghoe Koo, RB Quadree Ollison, T John Wetzel, DL Deadrin Senat t.co/H5e2rMhCNR
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On the Green Bay side, Aaron Rodgers won’t have his receiving corps giving them an advantage.
Devante Adams tweeted (which he then delete) early this morning that he will not be playing in tonight’s game. The Packers are also down rising star receiver Allen Lazard, who underwent core muscle surgery last week after climbing to Green Bay’s No. 1 wideout without Adams.
Jones & Ridley Not 100%
That’s right…Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley WILL officially play tonight. However, the two stars are not at 100%.
Jones, who is fighting a hamstring injury, and did not practice at all last week and was listed as questionable before being ruled out Sunday. He returned to practice this week but was very limited. So far this season, he has recorded 11 catches for 181 yards.
Ridley, coming off of an ankle injury, leads the league in receiving yards per game (116.3), and has the second-most touchdown receptions (4) after three weeks.
Jones wasn’t the only one questionable. In fact, Atlanta’s top three wide receivers were all on the injury report; Jones limited (hamstring), Calvin Ridley limited (ankle/calf), and Russell Gage coming off a concussion.
Jones looking explosive in practice this week running through drills but was still limping around.
The third-year receiver, Ridley, is expected to reach 1,000 yards if he stays healthy. He is currently tied for the league lead with four touchdown receptions and second in receiving yards with 349 behind DeAndre Hopkins who has 356.
With these two not at their best, other wide receivers who will probably see more on-field action tonight are Olamide Zaccheaus, Brandon Powell, and Christian Blake.
More Starters Are Back vs. Pack
Some good news to look at prior to the Packers matchup is that receiver Russell Gage has been clear to play coming off of a concussion. Behind the top three Falcons targets are Olamide Zaccheaus, Brandon Powell, and Christian Blake.
More good news, cornerback Kendall Sheffield will make his 2020 season debut this week after coming off of a foot injury.
To top it off, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (hip), defensive end Dante Fowler (ankle), linebacker Foye Oluokun (hamstring), and right tackle Kaleb McGary (MCL) are all expected to play against the Packers at Lambeau Field tonight.
Boo No Koo?
Younghoe Koo is suffering a groin injury and there’s no timetable on how long he will be out. The Falcons signed on practice squad kicker Elliot Fry earlier last week.
Fry joined the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and after that had some short stints with the Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Before his NFL journey, Fry played collegiate ball at South Carolina where he made 51 of his 70 field goal attempts, including a long of 55 yards.
The Falcons have signed on CB Tyler Hall and DE Austin Edwards to the practice squad. To complement the moves, Atlanta dropped DJ White and linebacker Deone Bucannon from the practice squad.
Fry will make his first NFL debut tonight at 9 PM Eastern time.
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Falcons Inactives vs. Packers: Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley Officially Active