Falcons Activate A.J. Terrell Just in Time for the 49ers Buzzsaw

The Atlanta Falcons are getting their best cornerback back on the field just in time to face the undefeated San Francisco 49ers, which is a bit like finding a golf umbrella right before a Category 5 hurricane hits your house.

According to Adam Schefter, the Falcons officially activated A.J. Terrell from injured reserve ahead of Sunday's 1:00 p.m. kickoff. Terrell has been sidelined for weeks with a groin issue, leaving a massive hole in an Atlanta secondary that has spent the last month getting cooked on a weekly basis.

"Adam Schefter reported: 'Falcons activated CB AJ Terrell ahead of Sunday’s matchup vs. the 49ers.'"

The Falcons are currently sitting at a miserable 2-4 and giving up 25.5 points per game. Terrell has only managed to play two games this season, logging just six total tackles before his groin decided it needed a mid-season vacation. Throwing him right back into the fire against a 6-0 juggernaut is a tough ask, but Atlanta is completely desperate for a pulse on defense.

The one piece of good news for Terrell is that the 49ers are dealing with their own injury apocalypse. San Francisco has already ruled out star receivers Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel. That means Terrell will not have to spend his first day back at work chasing two of the most physical wideouts in the sport around the turf.

Even without Evans and Samuel, the 49ers are still dropping nearly 33 points a game. Bettors looking at this matchup know San Francisco is an absolute machine right now, while Atlanta is just trying to keep the wheels from falling off entirely before November.

Getting Terrell back is a massive upgrade for a struggling defense, but we will see if a guy fresh off a groin injury can keep up with Kyle Shanahan's track meet. If Terrell looks healthy and can lock down his side of the field, the Falcons might actually have a chance to hang around. If not, Sunday afternoon in Atlanta is going to get ugly fast.