Quarterback Feleipe Franks, running back Wayne Gallman, cornerback Darren Hall, wide receiver Frank Darby and defensive lineman Ta’Quon Graham will be inactive for the Falcons on Sunday.
Quarterback Gardner Minshew, safety Rodney McLeod, cornerback Mac McCain, linebacker Davion Taylor and offensive lineman Landon Dickerson will be inactive for the Eagles.
The Eagles (4-11-1 in 2020) and the Falcons (4-12) are set to open the season with first-year head coaches in Nick Sirianni and Arthur Smith.
The meeting will mark the fifth time two coaches make their head coaching debuts against each other in Week 1 over the past 30 seasons and the first since 2014. Houston’s Bill O’Brien faced Washington’s Jay Gruden on Sept. 7, 2014
Some pre-game notes:
• QB Matt Ryan ranks 9th in NFL history with 55,767 passing yards and surpassed Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (54,828) for most passing yards by player in his first 13 seasons. Has 7 career seasons with 4,500+ pass yards (4,581 in 2020), 2nd-most in NFL history. Ranks 10th-ever with 347 career TD passes. Passed for 320 yards & 3 TDs in last meeting. Aims for his 4th in row against Philadelphia at home with at least 2 touchdown passes.
• RB Mike Davis makes Atlanta debut. Set career highs in scrimmage yards (1,015), rush yards (642), rec. yards (373) and TDs (8) in 2020 with Carolina. Ranked 4th among RBs with career-best 59 receptions last season.
• WR Calvin Ridley had career-high 90 receptions & tied-5th in NFL with career-high 1,374 receiving yards in 2020. Had 9 receiving TDs last season and can become fourth player in NFL history with 7-plus TD catches in each of 1st 4 seasons. Had 8 catches for 105 yards a touchdown in last meeting.
• WR Russell Gage had career-high 72 receptions for 786 yards & 4 receiving touchdowns in 2020.
• WR CORDARRELLE PATTERSON makes Atlanta debut. Has 8 career kick-return touchdowns, tied-most ever.
• TE Kyle Pitts was selected in 1st round (4th overall) in 2021 NFL Draft, highest drafted tight end since 1967.
• LB Deion Jones had 4th-career 100-plus tackle season (106) in 2020. Is 1 of 2 players (Minak Fitzpatrick) with INT-TD in each of past 3 seasons. Linebacker Foysae Oluokun had career-high 117 tackles in 2020. Was 1 of 3 players with 4-plus FFs (4) & 2-plus INTs (2) last season. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett had 4 sacks in 2020.
The Bow Tie Chronicles
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