Falcons planning to keep things ‘ low- key’ during break

Players required to stay close to home, undergo daily testing for coronavirus.

Todd Gurley let out what sounded like a sad sigh.

After the Falcons defeated the Broncos 34- 27, the running back was asked what kind of plans he had for the upcoming bye week. In a normal year, he might take a trip to forget about football for a few days.

But amid the COVID19 pandemic, players are unable to get away, unplug and relax at a faraway destination. Instead, Falcons players will stay put in Georgia, and they will still be required to be tested for the coronavirus on a daily basis.

Gurley first offered up no comment, staying silent for a brief pause. “But it’s going down,” he deadpanned.

The bye will be unlike any other for these players in recent memory. But it still comes at a good time for the Falcons as they look to regroup and get some players back from injury.

Unable to play Sunday were defensive end Dante Fowler, who has a hamstring injury, and receiver Calvin Ridley, who is dealing with a foot ailment. Ridley was close to playing against the Broncos and was even asking interim coach Raheem Morris if he could give it a go.

Sensing that Ridley wasn’t quite healthy enough to be at his best capability, Morris decided to hold the thirdyear receiver out of thegame.

Against Denver’s secondary, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was still able to account for 284 passing yards and three touchdowns. Secondyear receiver Olamide Zaccheaus stepped up in Ridley’s absence and caught four passes for 103 yards and a touchdown.

With the bye coming this week, the Falcons are hopeful they will have Ridley back for Week 11’ s road game at New Orleans.

Linebacker Foye Oluokun, who finished Sunday’s win with 10 tackles, four quarterback hits and one sack, said he won’t be doing much outside of getting some extra sleep. After all, there isn’t a whole lot to do around town during the pandemic, so he plans on keeping things quiet. The same applies for Ryan, who plans to use the week off to spend some extra time with his family.

“During the pandemic, you’ve got to be low- key,” Ryan said. “We’re trying to do everything we can to make sure we’re all staying healthy.”

The Falcons are entering the bye as winners of three of their past four games, with the team three kneel downs and a field goal against the Detroit Lions away from being winners of all. But for the first time this season, the Falcons have won consecutive games, which has improved their overall record to 3- 6.

After an 0- 5 start to the year that resulted in former coach Dan Quinn’s dismissal, the Falcons are feeling a bit better about themselves. While the playoffs remain a statistical long shot, they did move into third place in the NFL South with their win and the Panthers’ loss to Kansas City.