Multiple Key Falcons Playmakers Out or Questionable vs Buccaneers

The Atlanta Falcons will have to do without a key player on offense while also waiting to see who else they could be missing

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London will sit out the Bucs matchup | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 15 on Thursday Night Football. On a short week, the Falcons will once again be without their star wide receiver Drake London. London has been dealing with a PCL injury suffered in Week 11 in a matchup with the Carolina Panthers and he has not seen the field since.

Head coach Raheem Morris listed London’s status as “day-to-day” entering the week. However, on Wednesday, he informed the media that the receiver was just not able to get “fired up” the way the team wanted, and he would not be available for Thursday’s matchup.

Morris did provide some good news on the health front. He expects London to be back for Week 16 against the Arizona Cardinals after the short break due to Atlanta’s Thursday night game this week.

In other injury news, seven Falcons were limited during Wednesday’s practice: tight end Kyle Pitts, edge Jalon Walker, defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus, edge Leonard Floyd, tackle Jake Matthews and defensive lineman David Onyemata. 

Pitts is dealing with a knee injury and is questionable for tomorrow night’s game. He has been the Falcons’ leading pass catcher with London out, seeing 23 targets over the last three games and hauling in 15 of them for 197 yards. 

Walker is also questionable after suffering a quad injury in Atlanta’s 37-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Walker is currently third on the team in sacks with 5.0 and is one of Atlanta’s top run defenders. He’ll be a key factor as the Falcons look to contain Buccaneers' running back Bucky Irving.

Dorlus is also questionable with a quad injury and was sidelined for Sunday’s matchup with Seattle. He is tied first (with James Pearce Jr.) on the team in sacks with 6.0. Onyemata is questionable with a foot injury.

Floyd and Matthew’s limited participation in practice today was not due to injury.  

With the Falcons officially eliminated from the playoffs, the team will be looking to play of spoiler on Thursday night. 

“But really, the job is to go out and play spoiler right now,” Head coach Raheem Morris said on Monday. 

The Falcons are eliminated from a playoff berth, but with a win, they can make it much harder for their rivals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, to reach the postseason. 

With several key players listed as questionable: Kyle Pitts (knee), Jalon Walker (quad), Brandon Dorlus (quad) and David Onyemata (foot), the Falcons will hope they can play Thursday, as they play to spoil the Buccaneers' playoff chances.