Falcons Looking 'Long Term' as Cordarrelle Patterson, Jeff Okudah Inactive vs. Packers
The Atlanta Falcons took a dramatic 25-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium and did so without two key players in running back Cordarrelle Patterson and cornerback Jeff Okudah.
Neither player has made their season debut, with Patterson battling a thigh injury suffered in mid-August and Okudah recovering from a foot injury suffered on Aug. 4.
Patterson's inactive status was particularly surprising, as he was a full participant in practice last week and wasn't mentioned on the injury report prior to Sunday's game.
This prompted the question of whether Patterson was a healthy scratch - to which coach Arthur Smith answered vaguely.
"It's semantics," Smith said. "Those are coaching decisions. As we all communicate with our players, (there's) a lot that goes into playing on Sunday, and you make some decisions short-term or are you looking at long-term, and also what the game plan is and what personnel packages you think you need to win the game.”
In Patterson's place, the Falcons elevated running back Godwin Igwebuike from the practice squad; he played one snap on offense and six on special teams.
Atlanta's rushing offense went through rookie running back Bijan Robinson, who had 19 carries for 124 yards. Second-year ballcarrier Tyler Allgeier added 48 yards on 16 carries, while quarterback Desmond Ridder pitched in a career-high 39 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
In total, the Falcons gained 211 yards on 45 attempts, an average of 4.7 yards per carry. It was the second-most yards Atlanta's rushed for since Smith took over in 2021, trailing only the 231-yard performance in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints last year.
So, the Falcons' rushing attack remained strong even without Patterson in the fold ... and it seems he's quite close to being back.
"He could have gone if he had to," Smith said. "Those are the kind of decisions that we're paid to make, and a lot of it is communication with the player. So, hopefully get him back really soon."
Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson carries the ball.
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
As for Okudah, Atlanta's secondary isn't quite as deep, though the defense once again held its own and pitched a fourth quarter shutout for the second consecutive week.
Tre Flowers received the start with Okudah out and had a challenging day; he collected three tackles and a pass defended but was also flagged for a deep pass interference penalty and became the target on one of Green Bay's second half drives.
Okudah was a limited participant in practice throughout the week, though the real takeaway was that he managed to get back on the field for the first time since being carted off early in training camp.
And so, while both players have been forced to wait at least one more week until returning to regular season action, there's strong internal optimism about their status moving forward.
"(Patterson) is trending in the right direction - same with Jeff," Smith said. "You guys saw him at practice. Nothing to hide there. You guys are there every day."
The Falcons will return to the practice field Wednesday in advance of Sunday's road game against the Detroit Lions. Kickoff inside Ford Field is set for 1 p.m.
