James Pearce Jr.’s return was supposed to give the Falcons a badly needed boost just in time for Joe Burrow. Instead, Atlanta may be left waiting.
The Falcons were expecting Pearce to be back on the field Sunday morning after serving an eight-game suspension, but a back flare-up during Friday’s practice landed him on the injury report late and put his Week 9 availability in doubt. That’s a problem for a defense that already knows what’s coming against Cincinnati.
Burrow enters Week 9 on a tear. He leads the NFL with 20 passing touchdowns in seven games, and he’s coming off a five-touchdown outing in the Bengals’ overtime win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 8. Atlanta is staring at an offense that sits first in the league in passing yards per game and second in points per game, with Burrow driving everything from the pocket and beyond it.
The challenge is made even tougher by the support around him. Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase give Burrow two of the league’s better receivers, and Cincinnati’s protection has held up too.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Bengals’ 76.3 pass blocking grade as a team ranks second in the NFL, trailing only the 49ers. That makes the job of disrupting Burrow even more difficult.
Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said Thursday that Burrow is playing the best ball of his career, and he laid out the approach Atlanta will need to take to keep him from settling in.
"I think we’ve got to keep him off balance as best as we can, and I’ve got to be very cognizant of how we’re rushing," Ulbrich said. "If the rush isn’t getting home with four, then I have to pivot, I have to help, because the one thing you can’t do is just give Joe Burrow time.
If our front four are rushing really well, then I’ll avoid pressure and I’ll let those guys rush, as they have many times this season... It’s balance, as it always is, and probably more importantly this week than any week because if you do get in a rut, that could lead to an explosive really quickly."
That balance gets a lot harder if Pearce can’t go. Atlanta is trying to lift a pass rush that has produced just a 23.9% pressure rate over the last three games, which ranks 26th in the league. Pearce was expected to help change that.
He logged 10.5 sacks last year as a rookie and became the first Falcons pass-rusher to clear 10 sacks since Vic Beasley. His return was supposed to bring a jolt to a front that needs one, especially with the Falcons trying to make life uncomfortable for Burrow.
Even if Pearce is active, Ulbrich said he would likely be on a pitch count. Still, the Falcons could end up leaning on him heavily in passing situations if he’s able to play through the setback. That’s where Atlanta needs him most, and that’s why his status matters so much heading into Week 9.
In Other News...
Falcons Suddenly Have A Week 9 Depth Chart Problem In Madrid
The Falcons trip to Madrid has already brought a little roster churn, with the team moving edge rushers Drake Jackson and Jared Ivey off the 53-man roster and onto the practice squad ahead of Week 9 against the Bengals. It is the kind of adjustment that usually signals a team trying to keep its depth intact for the long haul, but in this case it also reflects a defense that is suddenly juggling availability at a key spot.
Samson Ebukam has landed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, while James Pearce Jr. is back from suspension but still listed as questionable because of a back issue. On the other side of the ball, the Falcons will be without wide receiver Zachariah Branch and running back Brian Robinson Jr., leaving Olamide Zaccheaus and Khalil Herbert in line for bigger roles as Atlanta tries to sort out a thin depth chart in an unusual setting. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Backfield Takes A Hit Right Before Bengals Matchup
The Falcons backfield depth took a hit just as they turn the page toward a Week 9 meeting with the Bengals in Spain. Brian Robinson Jr. has been placed on injured reserve because of a lower-body injury, leaving Atlanta to navigate at least the next four weeks without one of its running backs as the team prepares for the second regular-season NFL game ever played in Spain.
Atlanta moved quickly to fill the spot, signing Khalil Herbert from the practice squad to give the roster another option behind the remaining backs. It is the kind of adjustment that can matter even more on a trip like this, where the Falcons are already dealing with the usual travel and preparation challenges before facing Cincinnati on an international stage. [Read more 🡒]
Drake London Adds To Falcons Frustration After Costly Tampa Mistake
The Falcons are trying to move past a frustrating shutout against Tampa Bay, but Drake Londons day against the Buccaneers still carried an extra sting. London finished with one catch for 8 yards in the 16-0 loss, a quiet outing in a game Atlanta could ill afford to waste as it continued searching for answers on offense.
Now the focus shifts to Madrid, where the Falcons are set to face the Cincinnati Bengals, and London has already pointed to the teams work to clean things up after the defeat. Even with the next trip on the schedule, the aftermath from Tampa lingers a little longer thanks to the leagues latest discipline, another reminder of how costly that afternoon was for Atlanta. [Read more 🡒]