Saints inactives list for Week 4 game against Falcons

In Week 4, the NFL will have the first matchup of the year between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons. This is a big rivalry game, as the teams and fan bases don’t like each other, but New Orleans owns the Falcons, dominating them over the last two decades.

Unfortunately, injury will be a storyline in Sunday’s matchup, as the Saints have several key guys dealing with injuries after a physical Week 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. New Orleans will need other guys to step up as some key players will be watching from the sideline.

Saints inactives Week 4

Key absences and their impact

The two biggest absences are linebacker Demario Davis and guard Cesar Ruiz. Davis is missing the first game of his 13-year career due to injury, after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 3. The good news for the Saints is they added depth to the linebacker room this offseason.

Willie Gay and Pete Werner will still hold down the linebacker unit. While neither one is Demario Davis, New Orleans should be able to manage.

Cesar Ruiz being out is a far bigger concern, because the Saints will already be without starting center Erik McCoy, who was placed on injured reserve this week after undergoing a groin surgery. That means New Orleans will bring in two reserve linemen on the interior of the offensive line. Considering how much the Saints like to run the ball, and the fact Derek Carr has struggled with pressure in the past, this could be a huge problem for the Saints on Sunday.

The other major storyline from this inactive list is A.T. Perry not being able to find his way onto the field. The second-year receiver has yet to make his debut this season as he has missed games with hand and hamstring injuries, and even been a healthy scratch. These setbacks have stalled what many expected to be a breakout second year, and have also hurt the Saints as they still need a third receiver.

Full inactives list for Falcons

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