Inactives Impact Week 2: Atlanta Falcons vs. Green Bay Packers
The Falcons will still be missing their "Joker" Cordarrelle Patterson
The Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers take each other on in Atlanta and have both announced their inactives for the game. Atlanta is going to be down multiple defensive starters, but is starting to get healthier. The Packers look relatively banged up despite it only being week 2. The Falcons have a really good shot at a win today with the Packers missing multiple offensive starters.
Atlanta Falcons Injury Impact
Atlanta's Inactives are as follows:
LB Troy Anderson
CB Jeff Okudah
OL Jovaughn Gwin
WR Josh Ali
Joker Cordarrelle Patterson
DL Joe Gaziano
QB Logan Woodside will be the emergency third quarterback
The Falcons being without their starting linebacker is going to be a problem in the passing game. Andersen showed potential as a coverage linebacker and created some pressure when he did blitz. The Falcons will likely be using Nate Landman in his place and have elevated Andre Smith from the practice squad for this game to take his place. Andersen is in the concussion protocol and might be out another week before he returns. But hopefully, he will be back before the Lions game on the 24th.
Jeff Okudah was listed as questionable and practiced on a limited basis all week. With the Packers having their No. 1 wide receiver in Christian Watson out this week, it makes it easier to absorb the loss of Okudah. With Okudah not able to go, Tre Flowers and Dee Alford will continue to see a ton of snaps at right corner. Alford and Flowers both played over 70 snaps in the week one game versus Carolina and facing a similar spread scheme, this should be the case again.
Godwin Igwebuike got elevated again this week with Cordarrelle Patterson still on the injury list as well, and he is likely active as the kick returner with Patterson inactive again. Patterson has still yet to make his 2023 debut for the Falcons, but better to be safe than sorry with a thigh injury. The final inactives for the Falcons are all end of roster players who weren't expected to be inactive already in guys like Jovaughn Gwyn, Josh Ali and Joe Gaziano. Their impacts on the inactive list will not be felt.
Green Bay Packers Injury Impact
The Packers inactives are as follows:
RB Aaron Jones
WR Christian Watson
LT David Bakhtiari
S Anthony Johnson, Jr.
S Zayne Anderson
LB Brenton Cox, Jr.
OT Caleb Jones
With the Packers missing Aaron Jones and Christian Watson, they are going to be somewhat hampered on offense. Jones was the biggest piece of the Packers offense in their week one win versus the Bears. He put up 41 rushing yards as well as 86 receiving yards and two touchdowns in their week one divisional matchup. Without the versatile Jones, the Packers only had 210 yards on their 47 offensive snaps, a 4.46 yards per play clip. Which isn't very good.
The Packers are also missing David Bakhtiari, their multi-time Pro Bowl-caliber left tackle. The Falcons will need to take advantage of his backup today and get more pressure on Jordan Love earlier in the game than they did versus Bryce Young. The Falcons have an injury advantage in this one with the Packers biggest offensive impact players missing outside of Jordan Love. The rest of the Packers seven inactives are their bottom of roster players, just like Atlanta's.
All advanced stats are courtesy Pro Football Focus or Football Outsiders. All traditional stats are courtesy of official team websites, NFLGSIS or CFB Stats. All RAS and athletic testing numbers are courtesy of DraftScout.com and Kent Lee Platte's RAS Football website.