Cooper Rush Will Start for Falcons Despite Saturday Back Spasms

The Atlanta Falcons are officially rolling the dice with their quarterback's lumbar spine. Cooper Rush experienced back spasms on Saturday, but the team insists he is still good to go for Sunday's start.

There are injuries you can play through, and then there are back spasms. Anyone who has ever slept on a bad hotel mattress knows that a stiff back makes tying your shoes a monumental task, let alone dodging 300-pound defensive linemen.

"ESPN's Marc Raimondi reported that Rush experienced back spasms but will still start Sunday, per the team."

According to ESPN's Marc Raimondi, the Falcons are pushing forward with Rush under center anyway. It is a bold strategy for a team heading on the road to face the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Sending a quarterback with a compromised back into Acrisure Stadium feels like a form of football malpractice. The Steelers make a living out of folding healthy quarterbacks in half, so trotting out a guy who is already locking up is certainly a choice.

For anyone eyeing the game lines or player props, this is the kind of late-week news that sets off immediate alarm bells. A quarterback who cannot rotate his torso is going to have a tough time driving the ball outside the numbers or escaping the pocket when the offensive line inevitably breaks down.

We will see how long the pregame treatment actually holds up. If Rush looks stiff in warmups, do not be surprised if the Falcons are forced to pivot to their backup before halftime.