As the Atlanta Falcons are set to go on the road for the first time this season to play the Detroit Lions, Sunday's game could be special for different reasons for cornerback Jeff Okudah.
For starters, this is the 24-year-old's former team that traded him over the offseason to the Falcons and will mark his return to Ford Field for the first time since being moved. Additionally, Sunday could also mark the start of Okudah's new chapter, with an appearance on Sunday would be the season debut for the former No. 3 overall NFL Draft pick.
“I think as a competitor, you naturally have a game like this circled,” Okudah said recently via ESPN. “The environment is going to be a crazy environment. So, I mean, I can’t wait.”
The former Ohio State product has been sidelined with a foot injury that he suffered early into training camp until this week, where Okudah was listed as a "full participant" in both Wednesday and Thursday's practices. While Okudah has been back on the practice field, it is still unclear if the Falcons' trip to Ford Field will be the site for his season debut or if they will hold off for another week.
Yet, if the Falcons decide to let the third-year cornerback play on Sunday, they continue to emphasize the importance of Okudah not treating it as a chance to get "revenge" on the franchise that gave up on him after just 25 games.
"You have to fight the, 'I want to get revenge,' and stuff like that because it doesn't work," Falcons assistant head coach Jerry Gray said. "If you get revenge and you lose, guess what? You hurt the team, and you lose."
Even without Okudah, who was projected to be the outside cornerback partner of A.J. Terrell, the Falcons' secondary has shown big strides of improvement from last season as they are allowing the second-least passing yards per game at 133.5 yards while allowing a 53.97 completion percentage which ranks third through two games.
The Falcons and Lions are scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. EST.
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