When the Atlanta Falcons take the field on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, starting running back Todd Gurley will not be with them. He has been ruled out for the game due to a knee injury.
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The loss of Gurley is substantial for the Falcons, as he's been a bellcow for them inside of the red zone this season. Without Gurley the Falcons will turn to Brian Hill and Ito Smith to carry the load in the backfield. Also questionable for Sunday's game are Julio Jones, Dante Fowler and Hayden Hurst.
Here is the Falcons' injury report from Friday:
| Player | Injury | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Game status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TE Luke Stocker | Foot | Full participation | Full participation | Full participation | N/A |
| WR Calvin Ridley | Foot | Limited participation | Limited participation | Limited participation | N/A |
| LB Mykal Walker | Hamstring | Limited participation | Limited participation | Limited participation | N/A |
| LB Edmond Robinson | Hamstring | Limited participation | Limited participation | Limited participation | N/A |
| LB Foye Oluokun | Knee | Limited participation | Limited participation | Full participation | N/A |
| DE Dante Fowler | Hamstring | Limited participation | Limited participation | Did not participate | Questionable |
| G James Carpenter | Groin | Limited participation | Limited participation | Limited participation | N/A |
| DT Grady Jarrett | Knee/groin | Limited participation | Limited participation | Limited participation | N/A |
| WR Julio Jones | Hamstring | Limited participation | Limited participation | Did not participate | Questionable |
| RB Todd Gurley | Knee | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Out |
| RB Qadree Ollison | Illness | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Questionable |
| TE Hayden Hurst | Ankle | Did not participate | Did not participate | Limited participation | Questionable |
What it means
Todd Gurley's absence will be a blow to Atlanta's offense, but Brian Hill has proved capable in relief duty throughout his career. The big question for the Falcons will be whether or not Julio Jones will be back in action after missing much of the last game against the Saints. The Raiders are certainly a playoff-caliber team this season, and the Falcons will need to play well to beat their upcoming opponent.
