The Atlanta Falcons will be back in action in Week 6 after enjoying their bye week in Week 5. However, they will draw a tough Monday Night Football matchup against the high-powered Buffalo Bills, meaning it’s going to be a tall task for the team to earn its third victory of the season.
During the bye week, the Falcons enjoyed some downtime, which also allowed several of their injured players to get healthy. Unfortunately, not everyone got healthy, though, as the team received a tough injury update regarding wide receiver Darnell Mooney ahead of this big primetime matchup against the Bills.
Falcons Rule Out Darnell Mooney for Week 6 Action
In 2024, the Falcons stumbled upon a top-tier wide receiver duo in Drake London and Mooney. While the expectation was always that London would become one of the best pass catchers in the league, Mooney experienced a resurgent campaign after a couple of down years with the Chicago Bears.
Mooney suited up for 16 games with Atlanta last season, catching 64 passes for 992 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. Through three games this year, though, Mooney hasn’t really managed to get off the ground, as he’s caught just seven balls for 79 yards. Of course, a hamstring injury he’s been dealing with hasn’t exactly made things easy for him.
The hope for the Falcons was that Mooney would be able to get himself back to full health during the team’s bye week after he missed their Week 4 victory over the Washington Commanders. However, no such thing happened for Mooney, as he was still battling the injury when the team returned to practice, and he ended up getting officially ruled out for the team’s matchup with the Bills on Saturday afternoon.
“WR Darnell Mooney (hamstring) is out for Week 6,” Marc Raimondi of ESPN shared in a post on X.
Falcons Offense Will be Shorthanded for Pivotal Bills Contest
GettyARLINGTON, TEXAS – AUGUST 22: Michael Penix Jr. #9 of the Atlanta Falcons participates in warmups prior to the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on August 22, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Falcons have a plethora of weapons at their disposal, but it’s clear that being without Mooney hurts the offense. Penix hasn’t necessarily been great through four games, and with opposing teams sending a lot of attention London’s way, that has only made things more difficult on the offense. London, running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, and tight end Kyle Pitts will have to take on bigger roles with Mooney out once again.
Buffalo is an intimidating opponent, but they aren’t unbeatable, as the New England Patriots handed them a shocking defeat on Sunday Night Football in Week 5. The Falcons will be looking to follow the same blueprint that the Patriots executed so perfectly by handing the Bills their second straight surprising defeat. Doing so will be easier said than done, especially without Mooney, but all eyes will be on them when they take the field at 7:15 p.m. ET on Monday night.
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