Falcons vs. 49ers Injuries & Inactives: Key Atlanta Pass Rusher Will Play

The Atlanta Falcons face the San Francisco 49ers in a pivotal matchup for the NFC playoff picture.

The Atlanta Falcons need all hands on deck for their key showdown against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15. That means any player not on IR ready to go.

Fortunately for Atlanta, that's the case.

Pass rusher Dante Fowler, who was listed as questionable heading into Sunday, will be active in Week 15. The Falcons will also get back outside linebacker Ade Ogundeji and safety Richie Grant.

With those players active, the Falcons included defensive linemen Jonathan Bullard, Marlon Davidson and John Cominsky, offensive lineman Josh Andrews and quarterback Josh Rosen on their list of inactive players for Sunday.

It's been a tough couple seasons for Fowler since becoming a high-priced free agent coming into the 2020 season. Fowler has been better this year than 2020, but the Falcons would still like him to make a bigger impact. 

The 27-year-old pass rusher has 4.5 sacks with 26 combined tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and five quarterback hits in 10 games this season. He has also recovered three fumbles.

A fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft, Ogundeji has 24 combined tackles and 1.0 sack this season. Grant, who was a second-round choice in April, has 27 combined tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss.

The return of these defenders meant Davidson, who recorded a pick-six against Tom Brady just two weeks ago, would not make the active roster. Bullard, who has also played a majority of this season, will also not play Sunday.

And for the second straight week, undrafted rookie Feleipe Franks will serve as the team's backup quarterback with Rosen inactive.

San Francisco leads the all-time series against Atlanta 47-32-1, but the Falcons have won the last two matchups. In their last meeting, the Falcons defeated the 49ers, 29-22, in December of the 2019 season. Julio Jones scored the game-winning touchdown with two seconds left to give Dan Quinn his best win late in his Falcons tenure as head coach. 

Despite that loss to the Falcons, the 49ers went 13-3, earning the No. 1 seed and the NFC Conference Championship, in 2019.

Matt Ryan is 4-2 with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions in his career against the 49ers. Ryan also faced San Francisco in the NFC Championship Game during Jan. 2013, which the 49ers won, 28-24.

Old NFC West rivals, the Falcons have only faced one team (New Orleans) more than San Francisco. With the exception of the strike-shortened 1982 season, the Falcons and 49ers played each other at least twice every single season from 1967-2001. But Sunday will be just their 10th meeting over the last 20 years.

Other than the NFC Championship following the 2012 season, the Falcons and 49ers also squared off in the playoffs after the 1998 season. Atlanta won that playoff matchup, 20-18, on its way to a Super Bowl berth.

In many ways, Sunday will feel like a playoff game between the Falcons and 49ers. Heading into the matchup, the 49ers hold the sixth seed in the NFC with a 7-6 record. The Falcons are one of five NFC teams at 6-7 and fighting for one of the final playoff spots.