Chiefs could face Falcons without James Pearce Jr., who is questionable with a back injury

The Atlanta Falcons have not decided whether their most dangerous young pass rusher will play against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Defensive end James Pearce Jr. is listed as questionable with a back injury, ProFootballTalk on NBC Sports reported Friday. He sat out Wednesday's practice, then worked on a limited basis Thursday and Friday.

Pearce has hardly played this season. He came back from an eight-game suspension for last Sunday's game against Cincinnati in Madrid, and ProFootballTalk notes he played 15 snaps without recording a stat. AtlantaFalcons.com reported that the back problem first showed up during the week before that game, so this is the second week in a row it has put his status in doubt. Kansas City is still preparing for him. Andy Reid said Wednesday that Pearce has "been a dominant player," according to AtoZ Sports.

Atlanta's injury report goes beyond Pearce. Rookie receiver Zachariah Branch is out with a hamstring injury and will miss a second straight game. Linebacker Divine Deablo is doubtful with a forearm injury after missing the last two practices of the week. Defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (illness) and linebacker Josh Woods (ankle) are also questionable. If Pearce, Dexter and Deablo are all limited or out, the Falcons' front seven would be thin against Patrick Mahomes, who practiced fully all week.

The Chiefs have injury questions of their own. AtoZ Sports reported that right tackle Jaylon Moore (ankle) and defensive tackle Peter Woods (neck) missed both Wednesday's and Thursday's practices. The Falcoholic added that running back Kenneth Walker did not practice Friday because of groin tightness. AtoZ Sports also listed rookie running back Jaydn Ott as limited with a hamstring injury.

What it means for Sunday in Atlanta

Kansas City comes in at 6-2 after beating the New York Jets 35-12. Both of its losses came on the road, 28-24 at Denver and 20-3 at Seattle, and it is 2-2 away from Arrowhead. Over eight games the Chiefs have scored 202 points and allowed 143, an average margin of about seven points per game. The Seattle loss was the one game in which their offense was held in check.

Whether Pearce plays matters most if Moore is out, because the Chiefs would then be using a backup right tackle against a pass rusher Reid has praised.

The market has the Chiefs as road favorites. Across the 12 venues on this site's board, Novig lists Kansas City at -167 to win outright and Atlanta at +163. Novig's spread is Chiefs -3.5 at +117. The best Kansas City spread price anywhere is Pinnacle's -111 at -3, which puts the venues on either side of the key number of three. Novig has the total at 47.5, with the over at +102 and the under at -104. BetRivers offers the best over price, -120 at 46.5. On the moneyline, sportsbook hold runs from 2.9% to 4.5%.

CBS has the game Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Falcons will announce their inactive players, and Pearce's status, about 90 minutes before kickoff.