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Pectoral injury ends season for Falcons’ Kerney

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Patrick Kerney has been the ironman of the Atlanta Falcons defense, starting 105 games in a row.

It appears the streak is over.

Team sources told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen that Kerney will undergo season-ending surgery for a torn right pectoral muscle on Tuesday.

Coach Jim Mora wouldn’t go that far, saying Monday that Kerney, a Pro Bowler in 2004 who leads the team with five sacks, could be out an “extended” period after hurting his chest in a loss to the Cleveland Browns.

The defensive end was undergoing an MRI exam to determine the extent of damage to his right pectoral muscle, but it was clearly serious. His loss is another blow to a unit that already was missing three starters on Sunday, including three-time Pro Bowler John Abraham.

The Falcons will likely line up for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens with second-year player Chauncey Davis and rookie Paul Carrington, an undrafted free agent, as the starting ends — quite a change from Kerney and Abraham.

Source: ESPN.com || More? || Stats