Rams' injury disaster could be the reason the Falcons shock the world on primetime

There is nothing scarier than an NFL team with nothing to play for, and the Atlanta Falcons are proving that these last two weeks. The 6-9 Falcons are 2-0 since being eliminated from playoff contention, and a victory tonight could help them dictate who will be representing the NFC South in the playoffs.

However, that won't come easy, as hosting the Rams is quite the daunting primetime task, but they enter Week 17 healthier than they've been in weeks. Mike Hughes is their only notable inactive, which isn't a luxury the 11-4 Rams share since they'll be missing multiple key offensive starters in Atlanta.

As expected, Los Angeles will be without Davante Adams for the third consecutive week after suffering a hamstring injury back in Week 14, while they'll also be missing both Alaric Jackson and Kevin Dotson in addition to Rob Havenstein on the offensive line that could be in for a long evening.

And the chaos doesn't end there, as starting corner Darious Williams will also be inactive.

Falcons' defensive line needs to take advantage of Rams' injury woes

The Rams boast one of the better offensive lines in football, but the Atlanta defensive line is no joke. They enter tonight third in the NFL in sacks and are only one shy of the Browns, meaning the Dirty Birds should capitalize and ensure likely MVP favorite Matthew Stafford receives constant pressure.

James Pearce Jr. has shined throughout his rookie season, as he leads all rookies with 8.5 sacks, while fellow 2025 first-rounder Jalon Walker isn't far behind. There's also depth in the pass rush with guys like Arnold Ebiketie and Leonard Floyd, and that's something the Rams can't afford to overlook.

It doesn't end there, though. Second-year defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus is second on the team (behind Pearce) in sacks with eight, and 11 Falcons' players have recorded multiple sacks in 2025. And that's a remarkable improvement for a defensive line that was flat-out horrible in years past.

The 37-year-old entered the week leading the NFL in both passing yards and passing touchdowns, which is impressive given he entered the season riddled with health red flags. So knowing he'll be missing three starters on the offensive line is far from ideal, especially with the postseason looming.

The Georgia product has been fantastic this season, and so has Puka Nacua, so Jeff Ulbrich's defense will have a tall task in slowing them down. But if they capitalize, the defense could help sent a message in a long-overdue revenge game for Raheem Morris and Zac Robinson later tonight.