Don't Count Out Sean Weatherspoon Yet

I felt pretty good during the game yesterday. Matt Ryan threw three touchdown passes in the first half. Sam Baker was shutting down Trent Cole. Tony Gonzalez was talking smack like a nineteen-year-old on a pop rocks bender.

Then Sean Weatherspoon went down.

As they carted Spoon off the field, my heart sank. But alas! Maybe it isn't that bad after all.

Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon suffered a low ankle sprain against Philadelphia in the fourth quarter and his status for the Dallas game will be updated after practice on Wednesday, according to head coach Mike Smith.

Per D. Orlando Ledbetter, Smitty only makes announcements of this kind when the injury is severe. Then again, Spoon wasn't in crutches or a boot after the game; and he was apparently in a good mood. You wouldn't expect that if the injury was in fact severe. Given Spoon's relative importance to the team, Smitty may have made this announcement to alleviate concerns about his star linebacker. He's not Belichick. He doesn't use the injury report strategically. Plus Spoon tweeted that he's fine shortly after the game.

Of course, you can't understate Spoon's importance to this team. We need him. Akeem Dent filled in adequately yesterday, but all he had to do was maintain. That won't be enough going forward. I've sprained an ankle once or twice, it doesn't feel great. Wrap it enough and inject it with cortisone, it won't keep you off the field. Don't expect Spoon to miss any time. He's mobility might be adversely affected, but he will play.

Discuss!