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Before the New England Patriots play a game, we'll attempt to predict the team's inactive players.

Our best guess on the list for Sunday night's road game against the Atlanta Falcons:

Danny Amendola: Receiver is listed as questionable on the injury report (groin) and looked better on the practice field this week, but the hunch here is that he might need some more time.

Steve Beauharnais: Rookie linebacker has been a healthy scratch the last two games.

Rob Gronkowski: Tight end has been making positive strides, but the educated guess here is that he'd like an increased level of comfort before taking the field.

Chris Jones: Rookie defensive tackle is a developmental prospect who has yet to dress for a game since being claimed on waivers from the Buccaneers.

Matthew Slater: Special-teams captain has already been declared out with a wrist injury.

Sebastian Vollmer: Starting right tackle missed practices Wednesday and Thursday with a foot injury, and while he returned for Friday's light practice, the feeling here is that he's more likely to play Oct. 6 in Cincinnati.

Leon Washington: Veteran running back was inactive last week with a thigh injury and remained limited in practice all week.

Every Saturday, the “football journey” of one New England Patriots player will be highlighted as part of a regular feature.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- With the Patriots preparing to visit the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night, it's especially timely to catch up with veteran offensive lineman Will Svitek.

The former Falcon signed a one-year contract with the Patriots on March 18 and was projected to add depth at both tackle spots. At the time, the Patriots were unsure if starting right tackle Sebastian Vollmer would be returning, as he remained a free agent.

Vollmer ended up re-signing eight days later, and Svitek would find himself in an unusual spot for him -- right guard. He proved to be a quick study as the position switch added to his value.

Now, with Vollmer not expected to play Sunday night against the Falcons, Svitek's presence would add important depth at tackle. Svitek has missed the first three games with a knee injury, but could be primed to return in a game against his former team.

This is his football journey:

When he first started playing football: “I started playing Pop Warner when I was in fifth or sixth grade growing up in Southern California. Basketball was the first sport I started playing, then track. I only played football because all my friends were doing it.”

First positions: “I played a little bit of everything as a Pop Warner kid – tight end, defensive end, linebacker. In high school, I played tight end, wide receiver and defensive end. It’s hard to believe I was a receiver in high school – I was about 6-6, 235 [pounds] when I graduated. I was a skinny kid. But I was more of a basketball and track guy. Football was more something to do in the fall and be popular with the girls [laughing].”

Memories at Newbury Park (Calif.) High School: “Football was fun in high school because all my friends were playing. There is something special about playing high school football and that camaraderie. There is no other sport where you have more camaraderie than on a football team, playing Friday night with all your friends, in front of your family and all your classmates. That’s a special thing. The guys on the football team, I’ve known since I was a little kid and they’re some of my best friends. Some of the guys I played with in high school come to a game every year, since college and into the NFL.”

Enrolling at Stanford, where he played football: “As I was approaching college, I realized that most of my opportunities were in football; I was fortunate to get a lot of scholarship offers and decided to pursue that route in college. I got recruited as a tight end/defensive end and chose Stanford because I felt like it epitomized what a student-athlete was. It was also nice to stay on the West Coast and play in the Pac-10. Since I was 10, it was a dream of mine to go to Stanford. I played defensive end all five years, and for half of one year I played some tight end because of injuries.”

Football memories at Stanford: “Unfortunately we didn’t have the wins that we wanted, but I would never change it for the world. Some of my best friends to this day are from Stanford. I always tell people, my best friends in the world are from high school football, college football or the NFL. Football has given me a lot of great relationships.”

Favorite teams and players growing up: “When I was a young, young guy I was a big Lakers fan. I was kind of Redskins fan when they were in the Super Bowl with Mark Rypien. That was kind of random. But then I became a Chargers fan, growing up in Southern California.”

Role models who helped him along the way: “Most importantly, my parents. I came from an unusual background, born in Prague, Czech Republic, so everything is unorthodox with my background. My family immigrated to America, to Southern California, when I was 2 to escape communism and achieve the American dream. We left with the clothes on our back and were in a refugee camp. We came to the U.S. in ’85 with absolutely nothing – no money, no work experience out here, no credit history. My parents had to start off from scratch, living in a one-bedroom apartment, all five of us, for a couple years. My parents taught me about work ethic, dedication, and what the American dream is. I’ve always wanted to work hard, always wanted to have discipline, because my parents gave me so many opportunities. Unfortunately my dad passed away last year from cancer, so I try to represent him and do what he taught me. My goal in life has always been to make my parents proud.”

Entering the NFL as a sixth-round draft choice of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2005: “By my senior year, I was about 6-6, 300 pounds and I felt like talking to some scouts and others that offensive line would be my best opportunity for a professional career. I was open to the idea. I played in the East-West Shrine Game as a defensive lineman, against Logan Mankins, as we were on the same team and practiced against each other. Some teams started working me out as an offensive lineman and I knew it would be a tough road. It’s a hard transition going to the NFL, period, let alone changing positions. There were some growing pains, but I was fortunate that Kansas City drafted me in the sixth round to play left tackle. It worked out well.”

Early years in Kansas City and appearing in 16 games with four starts from 2005 to 2007: “I made the 53-man roster my first year, which was my goal. I was inactive 15 games, but then I knew the road would be going to NFL Europe to get some experience, which I did after my rookie season. I started at left tackle for all 11 games, which was basically like getting to play a college season at a position I had never played before. We won the World Bowl championship. … My first offensive play in the NFL was at right tackle against the 49ers my second year, and it was pretty cool. I had Tony Gonzalez to the right of me and Will Shields to the left of me -- two Hall of Fame guys -- with Bryant Young across from me. That was pretty special.”

Signing with the Falcons and remaining with them from 2009 to 2012 (47 games; 14 starts): “I was a free agent and a lot of things go into that. The opportunity arose in Atlanta and I signed a two-year deal, and then signed another two-year deal. It was a great opportunity. Last year, I tore my triceps and spent the whole year on IR unfortunately, but the year before I felt like I had the best year of my career, starting 11 games at left tackle. We won a lot of games when I was there, four winning seasons, and it was a positive atmosphere. I really learned a lot.”

Joining the Patriots on a one-year deal as a free agent: “I came in here for a visit at the start of free agency, and the opportunity to play for Coach Belichick and this organization, it’s truly an honor. It’s been a great experience and obviously I think a lot of people would like to play for the New England Patriots. I feel like I fit in well here; the way I play, I think it was a natural fit for me … I’ve always tried to pride myself on being versatile, playing different sports growing up, and then being a receiver in high school, and going to college and playing defensive end, and in the NFL playing left tackle. It’s the ‘more you can do.’ In the NFL, I’ve started games at left tackle, right tackle and even one playoff game as a tight end. Now, this year, I’m playing right guard. Being in a new offense, and playing a new position, you almost feel like a rookie all over again. I pride myself on being professional and doing what the coaches ask me to do.”

What he loves about football: “It’s the competition. We’re all competitors in the NFL and it epitomizes competition. Trying to defeat your man, there is no other feeling like that. It’s a great team sport, the ultimate team sport; so many things have to be put together. It’s a special game and a special group of guys because not everyone can play football. I feel fortunate to be in this situation. It’s been a good ride so far. I want to keep it going.”

Summing up his football journey: “It’s been an unusual road for me. Thinking back to when I was playing Pop Warner and high school, if you had told me I’d be blocking for Tom Brady and playing for Coach Belichick, I never would have believed it. I’ve never really envisioned myself that far down the road, just always focusing on the next step. I never would have imagined I’d be in this situation, playing offensive line in the NFL. I think football teaches you a lot in terms of life, things I’ll be able to carry with me the rest of my life -- hard work, teamwork, dedication, working with people. There’s the education you get in the classroom, and it’s valuable. But the education you get on the football field is also something you’ll have for the rest of your life.”

The New England Patriots will promote rookie safety Kanorris Davis from the practice squad for Sunday night's game against the Falcons, a source confirms.

The move is not yet official, and there is always a chance the Patriots could reverse course, but Davis caught the team's eye with strong special-teams play in the preseason.

With top gunners Matthew Slater (wrist) and Marquice Cole (released Friday) not suiting up, Davis could be tapped to fill that role, and more, on special teams.

Davis was signed by the Patriots after going undrafted out of Troy.

Ben Volin of The Boston Globe first reported Davis' promotion.

When the NFL released its schedule this offseason, the first instinct for many -- this reporter included -- was to scan the 16-game run down and circle contests of note.

The first two weeks of the season offered the usual intrigue associated with division games, while Week 3 was another look at Darrelle Revis, though this time in a white jersey and pewter pants for the Bucs.

But things really got interesting in Week 4, with the Patriots traveling to Atlanta for a Sunday night showdown against the Falcons, a team many were already prognosticating as a Super Bowl favorite. The high-powered Falcons' offense added hard-charging running back Steven Jackson in free agency, providing a needed boost to complement one of the most diverse and lethal passing attacks in the league.

Things haven’t started quite as planned for the Falcons, who have dropped a pair of road games that sandwiched a Week 2 win against the Rams.

But it’s early.

And that’s why Sunday night is one of the most anticipated games of the weekend and could prove to be one of the more exciting games for the Patriots this regular season. The challenge is a great one for the Patriots, looking to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2007.

Here’s what we’ll be watching for come Sunday night.

1. Gronk/Amendola watch. Truth be told, until tight end Rob Gronkowski makes his regular-season return, his status will be a primary storyline entering each game. And yet, this Sunday looks possible, as he once again took part in each practice this week (on a limited basis) and is more than 14 weeks removed from offseason back surgery. The Patriots' offense has averaged just 19.7 points per game thus far without Gronkowski (and two of those games have been without Danny Amendola), reaffirming his importance. Amendola, meanwhile, could be a longer shot to play, but he too has taken part in practice each day this week on a limited basis. If one or both of these players were to return to the lineup, it’d present a massive boost for the Patriots' offense. ESPN's John Clayton is reporting it's not likely either will play Sunday night. [UPDATE: Saturday, 4:00 p.m. ET -- Gronkowski and Amendola did not travel with the team to Atlanta and won't play, per Adam Schefter.]

2. Slowing Jones. The Atlanta offense has an abundance of talent, but no player presents more of a challenge than wide receiver Julio Jones, who leads the NFL in both catches and receiving yards. Fellow wideout Roddy White has been limited by an ankle injury thus far, but defenses still haven’t been able to find a way to slow down Jones. Bill Belichick was effusive in his praise for Jones during the week, and one area to be focused on is how the Patriots defend him as a vertical threat. He has the length and speed to stretch a secondary down the field, with Matt Ryan among the more accurate downfield throwers to accompany Jones’ range. This could be a week where Devin McCourty is used to shade to the side of the field that Jones aligns to.

3. Running backs –- on both sides of the ball. The Patriots, as we know, used three running backs in featured roles during Week 3, but weren’t the only team to go with a by-committee approach. The Falcons, who were without Jackson in Week 3 (and likely will be again in Week 4), relied upon both Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling to combine for nearly 200 yards of total offense. How will each running back rotation play out this weekend? Might the Patriots ride the hottest hand and again feature Brandon Bolden early? Or will Stevan Ridley reassume his top back status? For the Falcons, count on Rodgers to be the starter and early down back, with Snelling providing straight-line running and very good pass catching in a reserve role.

4. Fast start. The Falcons have been successful to open games, outscoring their opponents 31-0 in the first quarter of games this season. That puts the pressure on the Patriots' offense to find its rhythm early on in the game so as not to have to play catch up with the Falcons. Complicating the matter will be the boisterous crowd in Atlanta, aided by a dome that captures and echoes sound. Communication, particularly non-verbal signaling, will be critical to counter the noise factor.

5. Young Falcons cornerbacks. Like the Patriots' receiving corps on the other side of the ball, the Falcons have a youthful set of cornerbacks. Atlanta used its top two picks in this year’s draft on Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford, each of whom is already playing a prominent role. Veteran Asante Samuel, a familiar face in New England, is the other top cornerback for Atlanta, but it’ll be a heavy dose of rookie-on-rookie showdowns come Sunday night. Kenbrell Thompkins got on track last Sunday, scoring the first two touchdowns of his career. We’ll see whether Tom Brady will try to pick on the talented Falcons cornerbacks and whether his own young receiving corps can deliver.

The New England Patriots on Friday announced the release of reserve cornerback Marquice Cole.

Cole had been limited this week with a hamstring injury, and this could be a case where the Patriots needed a roster spot and Cole could return when he is back to full health. His primary contributions have come on special teams.

With the open roster spot, the Patriots could eye a promotion from the practice squad, perhaps along the offensive line or with safety Kanorris Davis as a gunner on special teams.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- One of the biggest areas in which the Patriots are in need of improvement is in the red zone.

The Patriots rank last in offensive red zone efficiency, scoring a touchdown on just over 30 percent of their possessions inside the 20.

“Offensively and defensively, we just need to perform better down there,” coach Bill Belichick said Friday. “We need to coach better, we need to execute better. We have to do a better job; it’s an important part of the field. Certainly, when you look at a team like Atlanta that’s been in three real tight games, you have to think that could potentially be the difference in this game, as it was in their other games. It’s a big area of emphasis for us.”

Without his top two receivers (Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola), quarterback Tom Brady hasn’t been at his best in the red zone. He threw an interception at the goal line in last week’s victory over the Buccaneers.

“It’s something we’ve been improving on and we’ve been working on that -- a lot,” rookie receiver Aaron Dobson said. “Hopefully it shows up on Sunday.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is among the league leaders when it comes to pass attempts. Heading into Week 4, Ryan is tied for 10th with 119 attempts, but is tied for sixth with 81 completions for a completion rate (68.1) that ranks fourth in the league.

It's evident the former Boston College Eagle likes to throw the football.

“He’s just smart. He’s a smart quarterback,” Patriots defensive lineman Rob Ninkovich said Friday. “He knows when to get the ball out of his hand. He doesn’t take too many sacks. You can get some pressure on him, but you’ve got to make sure you’re quick in your movements.”

New England’s defense has allowed 188.3 passing yards per game this season, the sixth-lowest mark in the NFL, but has faced three second-tier quarterbacks. Ryan is by far the best signal caller it will have faced.

“They love throwing the ball. For me, I just fill up the gas tank because it’s going to be a night where you gotta have a lot of high-energy rushes,” Ninkovich said. “They’re going with an up-tempo offense, so the D-line has to do a good job of doing their assignment.”

Atlanta is also consistent with its play-action despite an injury to Steven Jackson, so New England needs to respect that as well.

“You’ve just got to do the best to stop the run. Set up some long situations where you know they wouldn’t really want to run the ball if they’re backed up, or in a longer yardage situation. Just have good coverage and a good rush, and it all works together,” Ninkovich said.

Said New England defensive lineman Tommy Kelly: “He’s a great quarterback and he runs the whole show. The whole offense is run through him, and with the game on the line he’s going to have the ball in his hand. We’ve got to try to get him off the spot and make some hurried decisions.”

Ryan has been sacked just five times this season, but the Patriots hope to increase that number on Sunday.

“Our glory comes from sacking the quarterback, so you if can’t get up for a chance to play a quarterback who throws the ball a lot, you’re pretty much in the wrong league,” Kelly said.

One of the areas that will be charted throughout the season is the Patriots' defensive breakdown between their sub and base packages. This can highlight player value and take us deeper into the X's and O's of each game.

Through two games, the Patriots leaned heavily toward the sub (5 or more defensive backs), playing it 105 of 138 snaps.

But after Sunday's unique plan that featured a three-cornerback/one-safety secondary against the Buccaneers' three-receiver approach, which kept a sturdy front-seven to defend against the run, the base numbers (37 snaps vs. Tampa Bay, compared to 34 in sub) have increased:

Sub defense: 139 of 209 snaps
Base defense: 70 of 209 snaps

Spinning it forward, the feeling here is that the Falcons' most effective approach is with three receivers.

But unlike last week against the Buccaneers, the projection is that the Patriots will play more pure sub defense against that package, in part because of the feeling they can handle the running game with a lighter box against a Falcons offensive line that probably isn't as strong as Tampa Bay's.

ATLANTA -- There are $100 million reasons why Matt Ryan should be talked about among the NFL’s elite quarterbacks. One thing the Atlanta Falcons quarterback doesn’t have that his Sunday-night counterpart possesses is a Super Bowl ring.

Ryan's showdown with New England Patriots star Tom Brady is sure to be a hot topic throughout Week 4. He already lost one such head-to-head matchup, when Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints got the better of Ryan and the Falcons in the season opener (23-17).

So how will Ryan fare against the Pats? He’ll need help from all phases, something he didn’t receive in last week’s loss to the Miami Dolphins.

ESPN.com Falcons team reporter Vaughn McClure and Patriots reporter Mike Reiss break it down:

McClure: The Falcons were touted as a Super Bowl contender -- and possibly a favorite -- going into the season. But now, at 1-2, they find themselves in almost a must-win situation at home. How will the Patriots respond to the hostile environment they’ll enter Sunday night at the Georgia Dome?

Reiss: With 13 rookies on the 53-man roster -- including receivers Aaron Dobson (second round) and Kenbrell Thompkins (undrafted), who are playing key roles -- there is an element of unknown for the Patriots when projecting how the team will respond. Some of these players simply haven’t experienced this environment and prime-time stage. It’s rare for a Patriots team to be relying on such a large number of rookies for significant contributions, and that is one of the interesting storylines from a New England perspective this week. Other storylines are if this might be tight end Rob Gronkowski's season debut, if receiver Danny Amendola will also return after missing two games with a groin injury and if the defense -- which has been solid against lesser competition (Jets, Bills, Buccaneers) -- can limit an explosive passing game that is easily the best the unit has seen to this point in the season. Give us a feel for how things are going for the Falcons on offense.

McClure: Not too well, at the moment. Head coach Mike Smith’s biggest complaint is how inefficient his team has been in the red zone. During the Week 3 loss to the Dolphins, the Falcons were 2-of-5 in red zone opportunities. For the season, they are 6-of-12 (50 percent) in terms of touchdowns in the red zone, but offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter wants that number to be a bit higher. Having bruising running back Steven Jackson in the lineup would no doubt help in goal-line situations, but Jackson will miss Sunday’s game while nursing a hamstring injury. Receiver Roddy White is also a solid red zone target, but White is not 100 percent healthy coming off a high-ankle sprain. Ryan still has Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez as primary scoring weapons. How do you think the Patriots will keep up with the speedy receiver and ageless tight end?

Reiss: I think it starts with how they decide to match up against the Falcons’ “11 personnel” (one back, one tight end), because that looks like the most explosive package -- receivers Jones, White and Harry Douglas, with Gonzalez at tight end and either Jacquizz Rodgers or Jason Snelling at running back. Last Sunday against the Buccaneers’ “11 personnel,” the Patriots stayed in their base defense but played with three cornerbacks in the secondary -- their way of staying sturdy against the run but adding a coverage element to the secondary. I’d be surprised if we see that this week because the Falcons are much more potent in the passing game. So I could envision the Patriots turning to a coverage-heavy dime defense (six defensive backs), specifically with Jones and Gonzalez in mind, with the thought that a lighter box might be enough to limit the running game. For the Falcons, how are things shaping up on defense?

McClure: The defense has had its issues. Take the Miami game, for example. The Falcons held a 23-20 lead with just less than five minutes remaining in regulation. The defense needed to close, needed to put pressure on Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, needed to lock down the receivers. Instead, the Falcons played soft coverage after the Dolphins reached midfield and couldn’t disrupt Tannehill’s rhythm. In the end, Tannehill engineered a 13-play, 75-yard drive that ended with his game-winning touchdown pass to Dion Sims. Not playing tight coverage and not wrapping up on tackles cost the Falcons in that game, and it could cost them the rest of the season if they don’t find a way to correct those problems immediately. They could use their defensive leader, linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who was placed on injured reserve (foot) with a designation to return in Week 11. One other aspect noticeable in Miami was how the Dolphins tight ends won their one-on-one matchups against the Falcons on that final drive. That being said, will Atlanta have to contend with one of the best tight ends in the league, Gronkowski?

Reiss: We might not know the answer for sure until 90 minutes before kickoff, but things have been pointing in that direction. The one area the Patriots could use Gronkowski most, at least initially, is in the red zone. One season after ranking first in the NFL in red zone touchdown percentage (which we acknowledge isn't a foolproof stat), the Patriots rank last (4-of-13). It’s going to be hard to win a game like this settling for field goals. Speaking of which, let’s not overlook special teams. The Patriots are getting good contributions in that third phase of the game, with a 53-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski a highlight in Sunday’s victory over the Buccaneers. How about the Falcons?

McClure: Yet another area in which the Falcons could use much improvement. Against the Dolphins, returner Douglas fumbled a punt he admitted he shouldn’t have fielded in the first place. It translated into a Dolphins touchdown three plays later. The usually reliable Matt Bryant missed a 35-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. And the Falcons had three penalties on special teams: two holds and an illegal block above the waist. Through three games, the Falcons are ranked 26th in punt return average and 30th in kickoff return average, although they’ve returned just one kickoff. Those special-teams issues are enough to cause special-teams coordinator Keith Armstrong to blow a gasket. Speaking of that, is Brady still yelling at his receivers?

Reiss: Could you hear him down there in Atlanta? That was probably the most talked about storyline after New England's 13-10 win over the Jets on Sept. 12, whether Brady’s on-field frustrations were making things tougher on the young receivers than they needed to be. But it was mostly yelling at himself this past Sunday. He was upset with an end zone interception he said he shouldn’t have thrown. And he missed some open receivers, too. So while Brady’s stats were better last week, his performance wasn’t up to his own high standard, and it was actually more about him than the young pass-catchers, who turned in their best performance of the season. What is Ryan saying about this matchup?

McClure: Ryan said plenty about the Patriots when he addressed the media in the locker room Wednesday. He said he expects to see a lot of man-to-man coverage and complimented the Patriots for being very sound with their technique. He believes the front seven does a great job of creating pressure in both the run game and against the pass. Of course, Ryan gave much credit to Brady for being one of the top quarterbacks in the league for such a long time. In fact, Ryan joked that he hoped to be around as long as Brady. And Ryan singled out Vince Wilfork for not only being a disruptive force up front, but for being a 325-pound guy who plays a lot of snaps. So what’s the word from Bill Belichick?

Reiss: Belichick complimented Ryan, saying among other things that Ryan has very few bad plays. He shared his belief that consistency is the mark of any great player and Ryan is “pretty consistent -- every play, every game, every series.” And, according to Brady, Belichick said the following to players this week: “If you love football, then Sunday night at 8:30 in Atlanta will be the place to be.” Hard to imagine many would disagree about that. This is going to be fun.

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- After missing the previous two days of practice, New England Patriots right tackle Sebastian Vollmer was on the field Friday morning as the team prepares to face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night.

Vollmer reportedly sprained his foot and was seen on the field Friday with tape on his left foot.

Wide receiver Matthew Slater (wrist) did not participate in practice.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski (back, forearm) and Danny Amendola (groin) were on the field.