Fans ‘Feel Really Good’: Falcons’ Star DT Grady Jarrett Get Positive News on Achilles Injury, After a Notable Doctor Confirms…See Details
The Atlanta Falcons appear to have dodged an injury bullet with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.
A team captain and defensive staple, Jarrett suffered an Achilles strain in the third quarter of the Falcons’ 27-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9. He was quickly ruled out and did not play in the fourth quarter.
Just over one year removed from suffering a season-ending torn ACL, Jarrett’s sudden departure against Dallas caused concern — though his exit was dubbed “precautionary.”
Still, uncertainty initially persisted.
But now, no such uncertainty exists — and Falcons coach Raheem Morris, speaking at his press conference Monday, delivered a positive injury update on Jarrett.
“Grady’s day-to-day,” Morris said. “Obviously looked at it (Monday). I think it was good news, good sign with the imaging and all that type of stuff. I don’t know the exact terms but I think he’ll be feeling better than he felt yesterday, let’s just say that.”
Jarrett told reporters Monday he felt positive about his injury, and his MRI showed no tear.
The 31-year-old Jarrett was in the midst of a strong game, boasting one sack, one tackle for loss and a quarterback hit while stopping one run for no gain.
Jarrett has endured a season of highs and low productivity wise, one that ultimately puts him at 30 tackles, six tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits while starting each of Atlanta’s first nine games.
The Falcons’ pass rush ranks last in the NFL with nine sacks. Jarrett leads the team in sacks and quarterback hits and is second in tackles for loss. He’d be a considerable loss.
Instead, Atlanta is optimistic about Jarrett’s status moving — which includes the team’s 1 p.m. kickoff Sunday against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome.
Falcons ‘Feel Really Good’ After Trade-Less Deadline
The Atlanta Falcons were oft rumored as a team in aggressive pursuit of upgrades at the trade deadline. But as the clock moved past 4 p.m. Tuesday, Atlanta sat silently.
At 6-3 and with five wins in their past six games, the Falcons have plenty of wind at their backs. They lead the NFC South by two games — but also have an NFL-low nine sacks through nine games.
As such, Atlanta was a sensical candidate to acquire a pass rusher. Instead, the Falcons, already with a less-than-full stock of draft picks, stood pat.
Yet while Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot had an active Tuesday, head coach Raheem Morris said Wednesday he never had any possible trades come across his desk.
“We just had a couple discussions about things,” Morris said. “Obviously, Terry’s always grinding and on the phone. I’m not definitely a part of all those conversations, especially preparing for the Saints — those are the things you really want to be concerned with.”
After contemplating his preparation for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints, Morris paused, then continued.
“We feel really good about the guys we’ve got,” Morris said. “So, feeling really good about where we’re at.”
Now, Atlanta ventures to New Orleans, which fired head coach Dennis Allen on Monday morning. The Saints hired special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi as their interim head coach, a position Morris knows innately well — he was Atlanta’s interim for the final 11 games of 2020.
Morris said the Saints will have a greater sense of urgency. He knows the Falcons need to match it.
“The increased urgency for us to go out there and win and the attention that we have to put to these guys because of the stuff you’re talking about, being able to take over a new program or being able to start over and instill some different things,” Morris said.
“But, when a coach gets fired, the urgency in the building is certainly increased from the ownership all the way down and throughout the organization.”
And to handle the Saints’ added urgency, Morris had his eyes firmly on game prep — while the trade deadline came and went.
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