NEW ORLEANS -- The Atlanta Falcons could be without two key players after sustaining injuries during the first quarter of Monday night's game with the New Orleans Saints.
Edge rusher Za'Darius Smith left the game after the opening defensive possession, while left tackle Jake Mathews was lost later in the quarter.
The training staff initially brought out the cart to take Smith off the field, but he left the field under his own power. Smith went back to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion and neck injury.
Smith was later ruled out, and would not return to Monday night's game.
He leads the team in sacks (2.5) and is third in quarterback pressures (11). Losing Smith would be a major blow to the Falcons' front seven, especially given their edge depth concerns. The Falcons are already without James Pearce Jr. (until Week 9) and Jalon Walker (for the season), so any additional losses here would be difficult to overcome.
On offense, Matthews would be another brutal loss. Monday marked his 200th career start in a Falcons uniform, making him just the fourth player in franchise history to reach that milestone. In that span, the durable left tackle has missed just one game. He holds the NFL's longest active streak for games started (199).
It was announced that he suffered a groin injury, and he is questionable to return. In Matthews' place, Michael Jerrell lined up at left tackle.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/falcons/onsi as Falcons Lose Pair of Crucial Players On Monday Night Football .
