Starting strongside linebacker Stephen Nicholas could have to sit Sunday against the Raiders due to an ankle injury.
“It was an ankle injury and Stephen tried to play, he came out there in the second half,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said on Monday. “I thought he did a nice job of trying to get back out there, but he just wasn’t able to push off. Hopefully, he’ll get to feeling better in the next couple of days.”
Akeem Dent and Robert James picked up Nicholas’ snaps when he wasn’t in there. As for RB Antone Smith, he suffered a hamstring injury and didn’t return.
There’s good news on DT Corey Peters, as Smith says that he is close to getting back to work coming off his stress fracture. Right now Peters is on the reserve/non-football injury list.
“He’s been working with our athletic performance group on the side,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “There will be a decision making process in the term [physically unable to perform list] from Week 6 through Week 9 where you can come off the list. That’s coming up very quickly.”