Falcons wide receiver Roddy White would probably be in the lineup if the Falcons were in the regular season, but they aren’t and that means that we probably won’t see White in game action again until it is actually the regular season.
Coach Mike Smith said Saturday that White will not play when the Falcons meet the Titans in their third preseason game of the year because of the sprained ankle he sustained in last Thursday’s game against the Ravens. Since they have an experienced unit that’s performed at a high level, the Falcons don’t need to see much, if anything, from their offense in the preseason finale and that likely means White will be out of the lineup until the Falcons travel to New Orleans in Week One.
Assuming that White is in the lineup for that game, it will make 129 consecutive regular season games for the Falcons receiver. White has never missed a game since entering the league in 2005.
With White out of the lineup, tight end Tony Gonzalez might see more targets in his preseason debut. Smith confirmed that Gonzalez will be back with the Falcons on Sunday and that the plan is for him to take the field against the Titans.