The Atlanta Falcons will be without starting defensive end Takk McKinley for Thursday's matchup against the Carolina Panthers.
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McKinley is the only player listed with a designation for a game, a sign that everyone else is good to go. Although he was able to suit up against the Detroit Lions, McKinley has been dealing with a groin injury for much of the season. He has missed three of the previous five games for Atlanta after exiting the team's Week 2 game early, and McKinley has played just 42 snaps since Week 1, when he played 43 snaps.
Additionally, the team has announced that defensive line coach Jess Simpson will not travel with the team for the game.
Here is the Falcons' injury report from Wednesday:
| Player | Injury | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Game status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR Russell Gage | Knee | Limited participation | Limited participation | Limited participation | N/A |
| WR Julio Jones | Hip | Limited participation | Limited participation | Full participation | N/A |
| DE Takk McKinley | Groin | Limited participation | Did not participate | Did not participate | Out |
| C Alex Mack | Knee | Limited participation | Limited participation | Limited participation | N/A |
| T Kaleb McGary | Elbow | Limited participation | Limited participation | Limited participation | N/A |
Here is the Panthers' injury report from Tuesday:
| Player | Injury | Monday | Tuesday |
|---|---|---|---|
| G John Miller | Ankle | Did not participate | Limited participation |
| T Russell Okung | Calf | Did not participate | Did not participate |
| CB Eli Apple | Hamstring | Full participation | Did not participate |
| DE Marquis Haynes | Knee | Full participation | Full participation |
| DE Efe Obada | Back | Full participation | Full participation |
| DT Zach Kerr | Toe | N/A | Did not participate |
What it means
Although it's not reflected on the Panthers' injury report, the biggest injury question of the week is the health of running back Christian McCaffrey. The All-Pro running back missed the first meeting with the Falcons while on injured reserve due to a high ankle sprain. Carolina designated McCaffrey to return from IR this week, but head coach Matt Rhule says the team is still waiting to see how he fares throughout the week leading up to the game before making a final decision.
