Atlanta Falcons Benefit From Return of 'Physical' CB Jeff Okudah

Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen is glad to have another weapon in his secondary in preparation for the Houston Texans.

After sustaining an ankle injury in August, Atlanta Falcons cornerback Jeff Okudah has returned to action for the Birds, and defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen could not be happier.

Okudah has suited up in two games for Atlanta so far this season, and he recorded three tackles in last week's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. Nielsen sounded off recently about what his return to the Falcons secondary means for that side of the ball.

“It’s great to have Jeff back," Nielsen said. "Thought he played a very physical game. He covered well, but there were some hits in that game that you heard from the sideline. He played physical, and that was really good to see. It gives you a boost there and just adds to the group. We can’t have enough good players, so you’re excited that we get Jeff back and keep this thing going.”

Atlanta Falcons cornerback Jeff Okudah (1) warms up before the Detroit Lions game at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023 :: © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Okudah's return for Atlanta comes at a good time in other respects, as well. This week, the Falcons are required to contain one of the brightest young talents in the NFL in rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans. So far this season, Stroud has impressed his critics, throwing for over 1,000 yards and six scores paired with no interceptions.

Can the Falcons bounce back from back-to-back losses this week? A large part of that centers on quarterback play, both for Atlanta and Houston. Half of that equation includes slowing down Stroud, so a healthy Okudah can only help in that regard. Through four weeks, the Falcons have had one of the best secondaries in the league, allowing the third least total passing yards at 186.8 per game.

The Falcons and Texans are scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, and the game will be televised on FOX.