The Atlanta Falcons are still reeling from this weekend’s blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys, but will need to get right back to work to get ready for a Thursday night game with the New England Patriots.
Unfortunately, the team will likely need to prepare to be without one of its best offensive weapons.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson suffered a sprained ankle in Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Although he’s continuing to have the injured ankle evaluated, the 30-year-old’s status for Thursday’s short-week game is in doubt.
Pelissero reported that Patterson could be out for “a couple weeks.”
#Falcons RB Cordarrelle Patterson is still having his sprained ankle evaluated, but it doesn’t sound optimistic for Thursday night against the #Patriots, per source. Could be a couple weeks for one of this season’s most electric players.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 15, 2021
Patterson has been the Falcons most reliable and most dynamic offensive player this year, so the early diagnosis on his ankle is quite the blow for first-year head coach Arthur Smith. Atlanta will need to find some way to replace the 30-year-old’s production against a stout, Bill Belichick defense later this week.
At the age of 30, Patterson is in the midst of the best year of his career in his ninth NFL season. Through nine games, the veteran running back and talented pass-catcher has racked up 786 yards from scrimmage and seven total scores, leading the Falcons in both categories.
Patterson’s 303 rushing yards and 473 receiving yards are both career highs, even with nearly half the 2021 season to play. His seven scores have already tied the best mark of his professional career, which he last reached during his rookie year in 2013.
Because of Patterson’s impressive output this season, the Falcons will have to dig deep to replace him and do so on a short week. Wayne Gallman led the team in carries and yards after Patterson went out on Sunday, but Mike Davis should also be involved heavily in Atlanta’s run game moving forward.
The Falcons will look to bounce back from their 40-point shellacking on Thursday against the surging Patriots.
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