The Atlanta Falcons (3-3) hit the road to take on the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals (3-3) Sunday with injury concerns in the secondary.
Starting cornerbacks A.J. Terrell (thigh) and Casey Hayward (shoulder) left the 28-14 win over San Francisco in the second half and did not return. Head coach Arthur Smith didn’t think Terrell’s injury was too serious, but he was less optimistic about Hayward’s status moving forward.
“The one to be concerned about is Casey (Hayward),” Smith said. “He’s the one we’re more worried about long-term.”
Terrell has been a standout for an opportunistic Falcons’ secondary that ranks tied for seventh in the NFL in interceptions (six) — and is fresh off one of its best performances.
In the absence of Terrell and Hayward, second-year pro Darren Hall (two pass breakups) stepped in and played well. So did Isaiah Oliver, who recorded three tackles and an interception after missing the team’s first five games.
“We are confident in our guys,” Smith said. “Guys stepped up and played really well. Darren did. He made a huge play on that ball to (Brandon) Aiyuk. He showed good patience and body control making that play.”
Starting safeties Richie Grant (41) and Jaylinn Hawkins (31) rank third and fourth on the team in tackles and continue to improve. Hawkins recorded his first interception of the year against the 49ers and also scored a touchdown after Terrell fumbled near the goal line following a fumble recovery.
It’s still unclear how the injuries to Terrell and Hayward will impact this week’s game against the Bengals. No matter who suits up, the Falcons will be challenged by a Cincinnati offense that features quarterback Joe Burrow and a dynamic trio of wideouts in Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
“We’ve got a challenge with Cincinnati and their personnel, especially with as much as they like to play in 11 personnel,” Smith said. “They have really good wideouts. And a really good quarterback.”
–After not playing against Tampa Bay, tight end Kyle Pitts caught three passes for 19 yards and his first touchdown of the season in the win over San Francisco. Pitts’ reputation as a weapon in the passing attack is a big reason why opposing defenses have to account for him it all times. But his emergence as a blocker has fueled the Falcons’ success in the run game.
“The affect he has on every play, you have to account for him,” Smith said. “Last year, we didn’t have a ton of runs behind him. We are running behind him a lot now. He draws a lot of attention. And he has an impact on every play he’s out there. He’s a very smart player.”
–Punt/kick returner Avery Williams has shone on special teams. He’s a big reason why the Falcons lead the league in punt return average (17.8 yards per return) and rank fourth in kick return average (24.8 yards per return).
–Field Level Media
