Falcons vs. Panthers Injuries & Inactives: Atlanta Change at QB
For the first time this season, quarterback Josh Rosen will be inactive for an Atlanta Falcons outing, in this case, Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. Undrafted rookie Feleipe Franks will serve as Matt Ryan's backup in Week 14.
It's unclear why Rosen is inactive Sunday. The Falcons never included Rosen on any injury reports this week, and there was no indication that Franks had passed him on the depth chart. We will monitor the situation, including what eead coach Arthur Smith says, if anything, about Rosen after the game.
Rosen has completed two of 11 pass attempts for 19 yards this season. He also has two interceptions. Franks has thrown one pass this year, and it was intercepted.
Included with Rosen, the Falcons had safety Richie Grant, linebacker Ade Ogundeji, defensive linemen Tyeler Davison and Jonathan Bullard and offensive linemen Josh Andrews on their inactive list for Sunday's game at Carolina.
Rookies Grant and Ogundeji were listed as questionable in the team's injury report Friday. Ogundeji, a fifth-round pick in April, has started the last seven games. Grant, who was a second-round pick, has played about 40% of the team's defensive snaps behind veteran safeties Erik Harris and Duron Harmon.
Bullard will be out for the fifth time in the last six games. He has played only once since Halloween because of injury.
The Falcons hold a 33-20 edge in the all-time series against the Panthers, but Carolina has won two of the last three matchups. The Panthers beat the Falcons on Halloween at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, 19-13. Carolina didn't score a touchdown until the fourth quarter but rushed for 203 yards, and the Falcons only managed a field goal in the second half.
But Carolina's recent success against the Falcons has come in Atlanta. The Falcons are 4-1 in their last five visits to Charlotte.
Panthers head coach Matt Rhule fired offensive coordinator Joe Brady last Sunday. Even without former All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, interim offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon will likely test the Falcons defensive front without both Ogundeji and Bullard.
Matt Ryan is 17-10 with 40 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in his career against Carolina. In Week 8 against the Panthers, Ryan threw for 146 passing yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
Carolina quarterback Cam Newton, who returned to the Panthers in the middle of November, holds a 6-9 career record versus the Falcons. He has 21 passing touchdowns versus 16 interceptions in those games.
The first matchup between Atlanta and Carolina this season was the first of six straight games Calvin Ridley has missed to focus on "mental wellbeing". The Falcons will once again be without Ridley on Sunday.
