Atlanta Falcons prepare for a big “Monday Night Football” showdown against the Buffalo Bills. Their first game back after the bye, the Bears will be without second-year wide receiver Darnell Mooney. Mooney is recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in the Falcons’ Week 4 win against the Washington Commanders. He’s been officially ruled out for this week’s game. This is the second time this season that the Falcons will play without their No. 2 receiver.
Darnell Mooney came to Atlanta the same year I did, in 2019. He ascended to the first-team All-Combat Sports Reporter, as well as the most indispensable receiver on the team’s talented corps. This season, however, he has managed just seven receptions for 79 yards over three games. Last year, he reached new career-highs with 64 catches for 992 yards and five scores. This astonishing performance fully revealed the potential and talent of a young offensive prodigy.
Of all of those injuries, Mooney’s is the most concerning. It follows on the heels of a right shoulder injury he incurred in training camp July 24. Since he missed all of training camp and the first week of the regular season with this prior ailment. The latest hamstring injury has added a layer of adversity to his 2023 season. It hampers his productivity right as the team is about to face their most important stretch of games.
With Mooney out for the season, the Falcons will likely go with second-year wideout Casey Washington. They’ll need him to step up and provide that key veteran presence. Wide receivers Drake London and Ray-Ray McCloud III and tight end Kyle Pitts are critical. They should all be held accountable to raise the bar. How they perform will be key to keeping the Falcons’ offensive traction as they travel to face a tough Bills’ defense.
The team has had a bye week prior to this game, allowing them some time to adjust their game plan in light of Mooney’s absence. Mooney is currently nursing an injury. On the opposite side, cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. missed last week’s loss to the Commanders due to a hamstring injury, but he returned this week and enters without an injury designation.
The Atlanta Falcons prepare for their big matchup with the Buffalo Bills. They’ll need to meet the moment against Mooney’s absence and pursue a potentially decisive road victory on national TV. The team’s ability to adapt and effectively utilize their remaining offensive weapons will be key to their success on Monday night.
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