Talented Cardinals defender Robert Nkemdiche will miss Saturday’s game

One of my great fears in preseason is that someone’s going to get hurt. My second concern, which is a much lesser one in the grand scheme of things, is that the Falcons are going to struggle with their starters in, kicking off the kinds of questions I really don’t want to field in August when the games genuinely don’t matter.

The absence of Robert Nkemdiche for the Cardinals on Saturday should, Football Gods willing, help in both those regards. Nkemdiche was a player we all had on our draft radars for the Falcons a year ago, and while he ended up in Arizona and ultimately disappointed in his rookie season, he’s looked much improved this summer. There’s also the little fact that he would have been lining up against the interior of this Falcons offensive line, which by virtue of the uncertainty at right guard may struggle a bit against the league’s better defensive tackles.

We certainly don’t wish Nkemdiche any harm, but I’m relieved he won’t be in the game to wreak havoc against Atlanta. May both teams come out of this one healthy, if nothing else.