Roddy White is banged up.
LB Sean Weatherspoon has been placed on IR, where he'll join starting DE Kroy Biermann.
CB Asante Samuel's status is up in the air.
This has been all the talk out of South Florida this week. The Falcons are too banged up. The Fins should easily beat them now. The offense should put up 400 yards on that defense now. Bring on the Saints! 3-0 baby!
Wait? What?
Is Matt Ryan hurt?
How about Julio Jones?
Tony Gonzalez?
Osi Umenyiora?
They're not? So let me get this straight:
One of the best QB's in the league (who has a 107.9 QB rating this season) is playing. One of the best WR's in the league (18 catches, 258 yards, 2 TD's so far) is playing. A first ballot Hall of Famer TE is playing (Do the Fins struggle with TE's, I don't remember?). And a proven pass rusher (who has an INT return for a TD this season) is playing.
And just because of a few injuries we're supposed to toss these guys aside like they're old news?
Please, please, PLEASE think again. And think carefully. Because I got news for you, this is going to be an incredible challenge for the 2-0 Miami Dolphins.
Matt Ryan has been hot this season. Julio Jones is a matchup nightmare, even for Brent Grimes. Tony Gonzalez should scare the you-know-what out of you, especially given the track record against TE's. And this isn't your ordinary TE like, say, Jordan Cameron or Colby Fleener. No, this is one of, if not the best, in the business.
And don't sleep on Osi Umenyiora. Heck, don't sleep on the entire defensive line. No, they haven't performed great this season. YET. But they have the talent to do so (Umenyiora, Babineaux, Peters), and the Fins offensive line hasn't exactly been stout.
Look, am I saying I don't like Miami's chances given the circumstances? No. You're coming off two huge victories on the road. It's your home opener, and it'll be a sold out (you read that right) Sun Life Stadium. And you're going against a defense that's struggled through the first two games, without their best LB and possibly best CB.
HOWEVER, all I'm saying is don't forget about that Atlanta offense, because it's pretty darn good, Steven Jackson or not. In-fact, lets be honest, Steven Jackson would have had little to no impact in this game. The Fins DO NOT STRUGGLE with big, power backs.
Look at Marshawn Lynch last season.
Look at, hm, who else?
Oh, that's right, Steven Jackson. He did nothing against this defense when he was a Ram, and I suspect he would have done nothing against them as a Falcon if he were to play.
So please, don't look to much into that.
Bottom line? This game will come down to which defense can get more stops.
And, unfortunately, Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are NOT on the injury report.
Don't look past Atlanta. This game will be a monumental challenge.
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