The rivalry between the Falcons and the Saints has taken another intriguing turn. Unfortunately, it doesn’t involve eggs. Fortunately, it involves an apparent misdirection regarding the health of receiver Roddy White.
The Falcons consistently have projected extreme confidence that White will play on Sunday despite an ankle sprain that coach Mike Smith has insisted isn’t a high ankle sprain. Earlier this week, White said he’s “100 percent certain” he’ll play. Within the past half hour, Jeff Darlington of NFL Network reported that White indeed will play.
But 100 percent apparently has become the new 95 percent; Adam Schefter of ESPN was the first to report on Sunday morning that White likely will miss the game with an ankle sprain that is, despite the team’s denials, a high ankle sprain.
A source with knowledge of the situation has confirmed these concerns to PFT, pegging the chances of White playing at 80-20 against.
Even if White plays, chances are he’ll be a decoy, with others doing the bulk of the significant running and catching.
White has had plenty of injuries since entering the league in 2005, but he never has missed a game. That streak possibly will continue today, but it’s not nearly as sure a thing as the Falcons have been saying.