Falcons vs. Bills Injuries & Inactives: Emmanuel Sanders, Key Atlanta Defender Out
The Atlanta Falcons will face the difficult task of slowing down quarterback Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills offense on Sunday. The Falcons will also have to do it without starting cornerback Fabian Moreau.
Listed as doubtful on the final injury report Friday, Moreau was included on Atlanta's list of inactive players. In addition to Moreau, quarterbacks Feleipe Franks and Matt Barkley, offensive lineman Josh Andrews and defensive lineman Tyler Davison are inactive for Sunday's game.
For the Buffalo Bills, wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, running back Matt Breida, tight end Tommy Sweeney, offensive lineman Bobby Hart, and defensive linemen Vernon Butler along with Boogie Basham are inactive.
Although the Bills will be missing veteran offensive weapons Sanders and Breida, defensive tackle Ed Oliver will dress. Oliver was limited in practice this week because of an ankle injury.
Allen has thrown for 524 yards and six touchdowns with only one interception in the last two weeks. At home this season, Allen is averaging 241.3 passing yards per game with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions.
In 15 starts this season, Moreau has 56 tackles, 11 pass defenses and a fumble recovery. Without him Sunday, rookies Darren Hall and Avery Williams, both of which were Day 3 draft picks in 2021, will see a lot more playing time.
While Moreau won't dress, the Falcons activated linebacker Brandon Copeland and safety Richie Grant from the COVID-19 reserve list Saturday. At the very least, those two players will bolster Atlanta's special teams.
Atlanta also activated Franks from the COVID-19 reserve list Saturday but left him inactive for Sunday's game. With Barkley, who the Falcons signed this week, also inactive, Josh Rosen will serve as Matt Ryan's backup against Buffalo.
The Falcons must win their final two games of the regular season, including the matchup in Buffalo during Week 17, to remain in the NFC playoff picture. Atlanta also needs help Sunday -- a loss from the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings.
Atlanta won last week, beating the Detroit Lions, 20-16. The Falcons, who are 7-8, haven't won two consecutive games since October.
But with a victory Sunday, the Falcons can improve to .500 for the first time since Week 8.
The Bills aren't playing for its playoff lives, but Buffalo needs to win to stay ahead of the New England Patriots in the AFC East race. Both teams are 9-6, and the Patriots face the 2-13 Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
The Falcons lead the all-time with the Bills 7-5 but Buffalo defeated Atlanta, 23-17, the last time the two teams met in 2017. However, the Falcons have won four of the last five meetings in the series with two of those wins coming in Orchard Park.
The Bills last beat the Falcons at home in 1995.
Matt Ryan is 2-1 with 803 passing yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions in three matchups against the Bills during his career. He has averaged 267.7 passing yards in those three games.
The Falcons and Bills will kick off at 1 pm ET on FOX.
