The release of the Week 13 injury report revealed the Atlanta Falcons with a season-high nine players who were either limited or out completely during Wednesday's practice. Is this a case of Mike Smith letting his veteran players rest or has the grind of the season finally caught up to the relatively healthy Falcons? Do you hate it when people ask themselves questions? All this and more in today's episode of The Injury Report. There should be dramatic music playing in your head as you read that. The boys and girls at the official site shared the list so let's get dissecting.
WR Roddy White (knee) -DNP
White struggled last week as the Packers bracketed him and prevented him from making any long catches as has been his M.O. this season. He's played through injuries already and the last time he was listed as questionable he caught 12 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns against the Ravens in Week 10. He should be back at practice Thursday and Friday and preparing to improve on his four catch, 49 yard performance last time he faced the Bucs.
DE John Abraham (groin) - DNP
Abraham missed Week 11 with this groin injury but battled through to play last week and even recorded a sack. He's silenced all the critics who thought he was past his prime after a 6.5 sack season in 2009. He's already notched nine sacks in 10 games and is on pace for the second-best sack season of his 11-year career. I anticipate this was another "maintenance day" and he'll be back at it against the Bucs, but he's sat out before so I'm a little cautious.
DE Kroy Biermann (ankle) - LP
I really thought Biermann was set for a breakout season. Coming off five sacks last season and an impressive preseason, a jump to double-digit sacks seemed like a real possibility. I was incorrect. He's still only collected one sack, way back in Week 1 and he seems overmatched at times. With Abraham drinking from the fountain of youth, Biermann should see no double-teams but he hasn't been able to translate the promise of the preseason into somethign tangible.
LB Curtis Lofton (knee) - LP
This isn't even worth mentioning. Lofton doesn't practice fully on Wednesdays. He'll be back out there Thursday and Friday and be all over the field bringin down the throwback-wearing Buccaneers on Sunday.
S William Moore (thigh) - LP
Erik Coleman gets injured so Moore comes in and never gives the job back. Until, Moore gets injured and Coleman... nah, Moore should be fine and even if he's not, the Falcons aren't going back to EC now that they've seen the playmaking Moore in full-time action.
RB Jason Snelling (hamstring) - DNP
RB Antone Smith (hamstring) - DNP
These bear mentioning together. Currently, Michael Turner and Gartrell Johnson are the only healthy running backs on the roster. If both Snelling and Smith are ruled out, the Falcons will be very thin at running back against a Bucs defense that they would love to run a lot against. Of course, in Week 9 against the Bucs, Turner carried had 30 of the 35 running back carries so it may not be a big deal after all.
WR Michael Jenkins (quad) LP
WR Eric Weems (pectoral) LP
At this point, Weems is actually more important than Jenkins is. It would be interesting if Weems can't go because I'd love to see Harry Douglas back out there returning punts and letting the rookie Dominique Franks return kicks. Jenkins has scored one touchdown in his last 29 games. I'm really curious to see what happens first, Jenkins scores a touchdown or Dunta Robinson intercepts a pass. Who's with me?
The Buccaneers have only 22% of the injuries the Falcons are dealing with but they are kind of big ones.
RB Carnell Williams (ribs) - DNP
TE Kellen Winslow (knee) - DNP
Cadillac is the Bucs second-leading rusher and third-leading receiver. He's more machine now than man but his absence would definitely hurt the Bucs, which I'm in favor of, by the way. Winslow leads the Bucs in catches and hauled in three for 31 the last time these two teams tangled. Be sure to check in Thursday when the, well, Thursday injury report is released.