The Atlanta Falcons fell back to .500 after their Week 7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Despite facing a banged-up 49ers team full of backups, by the end of the game, Atlanta was nursing its own wounds in addition to a 20-10 defeat.
Early in the game, the Falcons lost one of their best defenders, linebacker Divine Deablo, who went down with a forearm injury and never returned. Then late in the game, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. appeared to suffer a lower leg injury, limping off and later entering the team’s medical tent on the sideline.
Speaking with reporters on Monday, October 20, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris confirmed the injuries to Deablo and Penix, per Tori McElhaney.
Deablo suffered a fracture in his forearm and is considered week-to-week. Penix, meanwhile, has a bone bruise in his foot and ankle area and is listed as day-to-day.
Penix’s injury is at least encouraging, but Deablo’s could be a major blow for Atlanta after watching how the defense performed against the 49ers in Week 7.
Falcons Couldn’t Stop Christian McCaffrey After Losing Divine Deablo
Signing Divine Deablo this offseason wasn’t considered a major move by the Falcons. The former Las Vegas Raider was entering the fifth year of his career after a subpar run in Oakland and Las Vegas. However, he’s become a key contributor to Atlanta’s defense in 2025, ranking fourth in total tackles with 0.5 sacks and tied for second on the team in pass deflections.
He’s also been one of the team’s top run stoppers — and his absence showed immediately against San Francisco. Without Deablo, the Falcons struggled to contain running back Christian McCaffrey, who ran 24 times for 129 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 72 yards receiving.
Hopefully new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has an answer for Deablo’s absence, because it wasn’t second-year linebacker J.D. Bertrand, who looked out of position and missed several tackles.
Kirk Cousins Could Get His Starting Job Back If Michael Penix Jr. Is Out
Not much has been said about veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins this season. The 37-year-old lost his starting job to Penix last year after a string of poor performances, which he attributed to lingering arm issues. But he’s made it clear he still wants to start.
So far, Cousins has only been seen standing on the sideline, ready if needed. His lone appearance came in Week 3 against the Carolina Panthers, when Morris benched Penix entering the fourth quarter of a 30-0 loss.
With Penix now day-to-day, Cousins could be itching for another opportunity to prove he’s still a reliable starter if called upon to face the Dolphins in Week 8.
Make no mistake — that’s probably the last thing Morris wants. Penix has played solid overall, but both he and the offense have been wildly inconsistent this season, and the loss to the 49ers was further proof of that. He’s completing just 61% of his passes for 1,409 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Atlanta’s offense continues to revolve around Bijan Robinson. If the talented running back can’t get anything going, chances are the Falcons’ offense won’t either. It’s worth remembering, though, that Penix just finished his ninth career start — and still needs time to grow.
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