For the second straight week, the Atlanta Falcons break a team-record this season by listing 10 players on the injury report. Last week, they set the record by listing nine. Whether it's the grind of a long season effecting the players or it's head coach Mike Smith's way of letting key players rest, the end result is a lot of names for me to write about.
Of the players who did not practice, I feel confident that Roddy White, Curtis Lofton and John Abraham were all more rest-related than injury-related. Tony Gonzalez and Jason Snelling, on the other hand, are still concerning.
Michael Turner rushed for 88 yards last week but he did appear to slow down as the game went on. He accounted for all 24 running back carries and I wonder how much a few carries from Snelling would have benefited him in the fourth quarter.
Gonzalez rolled his ankle late in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game and if he can't go, Michael Palmer and Justin Peelle would split the duties as blocker/disappointing tight end. The full reports, courtesy of the official site, are below.
Did Not Practice
LB Coy Wire (head)
DE John Abraham (groin)
LB Curtis Lofton (knee)
RB Jason Snelling (hamstring)
TE Tony Gonzalez (ankle)
WR Roddy White (knee)
CB Chris Gamble (hamstring)
DT Ed Johnson (knee)
LB Jon Beason (knee)
LB Nic Harris (head)
T Travelle Wharton (toe)
Limited Practice
DE Kroy Biermann (ankle)
DT Jonathan Babineaux (shoulder)
G Harvey Dahl (knee)
RB Antone Smith (hamstring)
Panthers
LB Jason Williams (knee)
RB Tyrell Sutton (ankle)
S Marcus Hudson (ankle)