The Falcons left preseason with Cordarrelle Patterson banged up, so the presence of Godwin Igwebuike was a bit of a blessing. The veteran running back impressed throughout preseason and the summer, earning a spot on the practice squad, and wound up active on the first two gamedays for Atlanta.
With Patterson on his way back this week—we hope—the Falcons may not have needed Igwebuike against the Lions. Still, his ability to field kickoffs and his skill as a runner figured to make him useful for Atlanta if injuries popped up in this backfield, so ideally they would have kept him around.