Atlanta Falcons: High draft pick hopes have taken a big hit

If you are on the side of the Atlanta Falcons fanbase that wants to lose out in order to have the highest draft pick possible, then you might be crushed according to recent reports.

Following a press conference where head coach Arthur Smith gave a speech about why you should never intentionally lose games, their next opponent has released an extensive injury report that will only increase Atlanta’s chances of winning their second-to-last game.

Atlanta Falcons week 17 opponent has an extensive injury report

With two games remaining for the Atlanta Falcons, and the certainty that the team will miss another year of playoffs, it has brought back the annual argument on if you should tank for a draft pick or go all out to win each week.

Personally, I think tanking rarely, and I mean rarely happens in the NFL. It is just too hard to convince 53 players and a whole host of coaches to play to lose. However, that is a discussion for a different day.

The best way to get a high draft pick is to play the great teams in the league, which is not the situation for Atlanta. They will play the Cardinals and Buccaneers.

If you want the Cardinals to beat the Falcons, then you would probably need to count on Colt McCoy and DeAndre Hopkins having a big game, but that will be impossible this week.

Colt McCoy has been ruled out after his concussive symptoms reappeared and now DeAndre Hopkins’ status has been downgraded to out.

Those aren’t the only two who are out, as they will be without Zach Allen and Antonio Hamilton. James Connor and Marco Wilson are listed as questionable. They also have guys like Budda Baker, Zach Ertz, Kyler Murray, Byron Murphy, Rodney Hudson, D.J. Humphries, and Trysten Hill on injured reserve.

So, yeah, they aren’t exactly in the best shape but you never know what could happen on any given NFL Sunday, especially when the Atlanta Falcons are on the field.