The Atlanta Falcons’ already depleted linebacker corps faced another setback during their 26-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Linebacker Troy Andersen, who was having the best game of his young career, was assisted off the field after sustaining a knee injury on a special teams play late in the fourth quarter.
Andersen was labeled questionable to return but did not participate in Atlanta’s final defensive drive. He remained in the team’s medical examination room 45 minutes after the game ended.
Initial assessments of Andersen’s injury seem positive for his long-term recovery but negative for his chances of playing Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“Troy is day to day,” said Falcons head coach Raheem Morris on Monday morning. “With a short week, he’s in a lot of pain, and we’ll see how he progresses throughout the week and what he can contribute.”
In the game, Andersen recorded a career-high 17 tackles and an interception, which he returned for a 47-yard touchdown, marking the first of his NFL career.
Since stepping into the starting role for Landman, Andersen has consistently performed well at the center of Atlanta’s defense, tallying 12 tackles in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs. His impressive performance on Sunday marked the first time in his three-year career that he recorded back-to-back games with double-digit tackles.
Andersen’s 17 tackles are the highest of any Falcons player this season, while his pick-six was the first by an Atlanta linebacker since Lorenzo Carter’s on October 30, 2022.
May we interest you in another @troy_andersen pick-six highlight?https://t.co/4yVnQQsWkZ pic.twitter.com/Kj1dw0ihDz
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) September 30, 2024
Although Morris had not reviewed the game film yet, he praised Andersen’s performance postgame.
“The guy was flying around, making a bunch of plays, making a bunch of tackles,” Morris noted. “He plays with tremendous speed and aggression that we appreciate, and he got it done for us. It was awesome.”
However, Atlanta may have to compete against the Buccaneers at 8:15 p.m. Thursday without the speedy and aggressive Andersen at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
