Atlanta Falcons cornerback Cornell Armstrong had played just one defensive snap since the conclusion of the 2019 season when he lined up across from reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase on Sunday.
Armstrong was elevated from the practice squad Saturday and was set to be a reserve corner as the Falcons were without injured corners Casey Hayward and Dee Alford. If all went well, the former sixth-round pick from Southern Mississippi was only expected to play a handful of snaps as he re-adjusted to regular season action.
Except, there was a hang up - all did not go well.
On the second defensive series of the game, Falcons All-Pro corner A.J. Terrell fell to the turf in a heap, grabbing at the same right hamstring that caused him to exit prematurely from Atlanta's contest the week before.
Thus, Armstrong was thrown into action, playing 87 percent of the defensive snaps. On the other side of the field was second-year pro Darren Hall, making his second career start, this time in place of Hayward.
The end result was about as one would expect - Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 481 yards and three touchdowns while completing over 80 percent of his attempts as the passing offense exploded.
According to Pro Football Focus, Armstrong was targeted eight times, allowing five receptions for 83 yards and a passer rating of 137. To his credit, the former Miami Dolphin had a key pass breakup on 4th and short in the third quarter, a sign that he was beginning to get more comfortable as he made his first game action of the season.
It wasn't the start Armstrong was hoping for, but with safety Jaylinn Hawkins out, Alford considered day-to-day, Terrell week-to-week and Hayward likely out for the foreseeable future, the 27-year-old could be in line for more action, and the Falcons are fine with it - for now.
Armstrong impressed during the offseason before suffering an injury in the preseason opener. He re-signed with the Falcons in early October, joining the practice squad for scenarios like this.
Despite the difficult day, Armstrong earned the confidence of his teammates throughout OTAs and training camp - including starting safety Richie Grant, who also acknowledged that the contest could serve as an opportunity to grow.
"That's my boy, man," said Grant. "He had a great OTAs. Injury came up, but he's back now. We're all just going to learn from this (and) move forward."
Armstrong didn't see the field a season ago, and after being waived due to injury in August, seemed set for another year of similar results. But now, with Atlanta's secondary falling victim to severe injury troubles, the former Southern Mississippi Golden Eagle is getting his chance - and has the belief of the anchor of Atlanta's defense.
"It's always good to see guys come back and get an opportunity to play on an NFL field - that's a dream come true for guys," defensive tackle Grady Jarrett said. "To be able to see him go out there and get that opportunity, it's all love and somebody we definitely believe in."
Due to the overall underwhelming performance that resulted in part due to a lack of depth, the idea of Atlanta acquiring a defensive back either via trade or free agency has come to light.
However, Falcons coach Arthur Smith pointed out that everybody in the league is facing some sort of problem at this stage of the season, and he believes the team can weather the storm with the players already on the roster.
"If you were dealing with a bunch of long-term issues, you'd probably feel (bringing in someone from the outside) would be the case," Smith said. "We feel pretty confident in the guys that we have in house, and we'll see how the week goes."
Up next on the docket is an NFC South rival in the Carolina Panthers (2-5), who sit just a game behind the Falcons (and the division lead) despite firing coach Matt Rhule, operating with third-string quarterback PJ Walker and trading star running back Christian McCaffrey.
Both of Carolina's victories have been within the NFC South - against the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both of whom have beaten the Falcons already this season.
Despite all of the chaos surrounding the Panthers' organization, Smith described Sunday's matchup as a "big game" - and his injury-riddled secondary gets the memo.
"We all got to play better," Grant proclaimed. "We've got a great opportunity ahead. We're going to get into film, make some corrections, and try to take advantage of the opportunity that's in front of us."
The Falcons, likely down three - if not four - defensive backs, will kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but feel well equipped to handle the challenge at hand.
More must-reads: