Falcons Get Answer on A.J. Terrell Jr. Ahead of Sunday's Commanders Game

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga – The Atlanta Falcons are looking to get back on track this Sunday against a strong Washington Commanders team at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but they will have to do it without one of their best defenders. 

Star cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. will miss his second consecutive game with a hamstring injury that he picked up in the Falcons’ Week 2 win over Minnesota. Head coach Raheem Morris said he should be considered “week-to-week,” but that he is confident Terrell could return after the bye week.

Dee Alford, who played well in the team’s Week 3 loss to Carolina, will be expected to step in and take over Terrell’s vacated duties in the secondary. The backup cornerback was targeted four times by Bryce Young, but he allowed just one catch in the game for nine yards.

“Dee Alford was absolutely amazing last week,” Morris said on Wednesday. “He went out, he competed. He played at a very high level. He had the one pass interference call that was very questionable, as you know, in this game. But, he went out there and made a couple of knockdown passes. He really competed versus a very good wideout. He gave us a chance to find a way to get back into that game.” 

The Falcons will be counting on another strong performance from him on Sunday. 

Special teams ace KhaDarel Hodge (groin) and reserve running back Nathan Carter (hamstring) will also miss this week’s game with soft tissue injuries. Neither appeared in practices this week. 

Of the other limited participants from this week, Kyle Pitts Sr. (toe), DeMarcco Hellams (hamstring), and Casey Washington (concussion) were all full participants in practice on Thursday, while Jamal Agnew (groin) and James Pearce Jr. (groin) were elevated on Friday. 

None of them will have an injury designation on Sunday. Agnew and Washington will make their first appearances in game action since Week 1. 

Agnew will be particularly important to this team given the struggles in the return game. Several miscues in kickoff return plagued the Falcons against Carolina, and his return should help elevate that unit this week against the Commanders.  Washington will look to help provide a spark to this Falcons downfield passing attack that has struggled through the first three weeks of the season.

See below for the full injury report. 

QUESTIONABLE

• N/A

DOUBTFUL

• N/A

OUT

• WR KhaDarel Hodge (groin) – DNP Wed, Thurs
• RB Nathan Carter (hamstring) – DNP Wed, Thurs
• CB A.J. Terrell Jr. (hamstring) – DNP Wed, Thurs