Falcons' Calvin Ridley Out vs. Panthers with Abdominal Injury; Scored TD in Game

Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley was forced to leave Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers because of an abdominal injury, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. 

The wideout had five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game.

Now in his second season, Ridley has remained a reliable weapon in the Falcons attack. He entered the day with 58 catches for 790 yards so far in 2019, and his seven touchdowns now lead the team.

The receiver is coming off a monster rookie season after being taken with the No. 26 overall pick, and he remains a difference-maker on the field, especially near the end zone. 

Ridley also showed the ability to shake off injuries last season, overcoming problems with his ankle, hand and elbow to appear in all 16 games. This should provide some confidence he will be able to bounce back and keep his missed time to a minimum.

Otherwise, the Falcons will be forced to play without a key part of their offense while the young player misses out on valuable reps to continue to improve at this level.

The Atlanta passing attack has already been short-handed since trading away Mohamed Sanu, while tight end Austin Hooper has been dealing with a knee injury. It could put even more pressure on Julio Jones down the field, while Russell Gage and Justin Hardy could also see additional snaps with Ridley unavailable.