Falcons
- Falcons HC Raheem Morris said LB Troy Andersen (knee) is day-to-day and CB Dee Alford is in the league’s concussion protocol, per Josh Kendall.
- Falcons G Matthew Bergeron was fined $11,255 for Unnecessary Roughness (facemask) in Week 4.
Panthers
Panthers UDFA WR Jalen Coker has steadily impressed with his chances since joining Carolina, first earning a practice squad spot, then a roster spot, then a role on the team in Week 5, catching four passes for a team-high 68 yards.
“It was kind of like the beginning of his development, when he’s showing flashes there. As soon as he’s getting opportunity, he’s making the most of it,” Dalton said via the Athletic’s Joe Person. “A guy that I think’s going to get more involved in the offense and will be asked to do a little bit more than what he’s done. I’m excited for him because he’s got all the talent in the world.”
Coker fell out of the draft because of concerns about the level of competition he faced at Holy Cross, an FCS school in Worcester, Massachusetts, and a relative lack of speed. But he dominated on the field, finishing as the school’s all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdowns with 2,715 and 31.
“The cool part is any more, nothing’s hidden. It’s all out there. All the film on all these schools, it’s available to pro teams,” Panthers HC Dave Canales said. “So I think that’s why you’re seeing more and more guys make an impact or make practice squads or end up in camps at different places. Because if you have talent, especially if you’re big and have the ability to get open — which (Coker) has shown — it’s not hidden from us.”
- Panthers first-round WR Xavier Legette (shoulder) practiced on Wednesday. (Person)
Saints
New Orleans will be going with fifth-round QB Spencer Rattler as the starter while veteran QB Derek Carr recovers from his oblique injury. The rookie was edged out by second-year QB Jake Haener for the backup job during the summer but HC Dennis Allen said they elected to give Rattler the nod for Week 6.
“We talked a lot as a staff about what we felt like was the best thing for us and give us the best chance to win the game,” Allen said via John DeShazier of the team website. “That was the decision that we made and we’re excited about him getting the opportunity to go in there, and we’ll let him go play and see what he can do.”
Rattler was once a highly-touted prospect and Heisman contender who saw his path in college take a couple of detours. Saints veteran C Connor McGovern said he was impressed with the confidence Rattler has shown since getting the nod.
“He was dialed in on walk-through today,” McGovern said. “You could tell he was playing with a lot of confidence. His huddle presence was really professional and (he) had confidence. That’s what I always look for in a quarterback. You need that swagger, that confidence, to play quarterback and he was playing with it today.
“You can always just tell that aura of a guy, especially a quarterback, when he comes into a huddle. The huddle can be a pretty intimidating place. He’s got a coach in his ears and 10 grown men staring at him, waiting for him to tell us what to do. It’s not an easy thing to do, it’s not an easy thing to come in and have confidence with, and he had great confidence with it from the first snap to the last today.”
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