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Falcons Face Tough Test In Madrid With Key Players Out
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- Falcons Face Tough Test In Madrid With Key Players Out
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Falcons head to Spain for a Sunday game in Madrid without two critical players on the roster. Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Monday that Samson Ebukam and Zachariah Branch will miss the Week 9 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Both men suffered hamstring injuries, and Stefanski said the team will not risk them traveling overseas.
The squad needs every available body to survive a trip across the Atlantic. The Falcons are 3-5 and coming off a shutout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They face a Bengals team that is 5-2 and riding high after a wild overtime win. Atlanta is trying to find its footing in a new foreign market.
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Injury Details And Recovery Timeline
The coach was blunt about the status of his two missing contributors during his Monday press conference. "Samson Ebukam, Zachariah Branch have hamstring injuries," Stefanski said to begin his remarks. He added that the injuries would keep them out of this game. The team is not sure how long the recovery will take. "Not sure, long term, how many games those types of injuries will be, but we'll obviously treat those and then see how it goes over the next couple of weeks."
With 2.5 sacks this season, Ebukam holds the second position on the team. He was signed to help the pass rush and reunite with former Indianapolis teammate Nate Ollie. Branch was a third-round pick who handled kick and punt return duties. His absence forces the Falcons to look at veteran Olamide Zaccheaus for special teams work. The team will release its first full injury report on Wednesday to give fans more clarity.
Bengals Come In Hot With Big Offense
Cincinnati enters this international showcase with a strong offense. Nate Davis of Yahoo Sports notes that the Bengals have the best start they have had since 2021. That season led them to Super Bowl 56. However, Davis warns that their recent overtime win over the Titans brings back some bad memories. "A 5-2 start is their best since 2021, one that led them to Super Bowl 56. But Sunday's 43-36 overtime defeat of the Titans sure evoked troubling memories of the post-2021 Bengals."
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Joe Burrow and his receivers are dangerous. Yahoo Sports' Connor Orr argues that we must value matchups where Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase combine for approximately 300 yards. The Bengals plan to wear white jerseys with orange pants and white socks for the game. This marks the sixth time the team has used this specific uniform combo.
Can Falcons Survive The Open Field?
Atlanta has a major issue with speed and space. Nate Davis pointed out that the Falcons looked like a team built for a dome during their loss in Tampa. "QB Michael Penix Jr. and Co. looked every bit a dome team during Sunday's loss in a Tampa monsoon. Certainly an incentive to nail down the home playoff game an NFC South title would confer."
Now they must play in a stadium in Madrid with a fast field and a high-powered offense. Za'Darius Smith and Cameron Thomas must step up to fill the void left by Ebukam. There is also hope for a return. James Pearce Jr. is eligible to come back from his eight-game suspension this week. He led the team with 10.5 sacks in 2025. If he returns, he could help slow down Burrow. If he does not, the Falcons defense will be in trouble against a team that just scored 43 points. The game kicks off at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday on NFL Network.
