Monday’s NFL: Falcons’ Beasley to miss game vs. Lions

Flowery Branch, Ga. — Falcons All-Pro linebacker Vic Beasley has a hamstring strain and is ruled out for this week’s game at Ford Field in Detroit, and could be out even longer.

Falcons coach Dan Quinn declined to say if last year’s NFL sacks leader will be out longer than this week.

Quinn did say Monday that it’s too early to tell if right tackle Ryan Schraeder will be out against the Lions because of a concussion. He and Beasley did not return after getting injured in Sunday’s 34-23 victory over Green Bay.

Beasley grabbed his right hamstring as he was on the turf after making a tackle in the third quarter. He yelled in frustration, apparently knowing he was done for the night, as he stood up and walked off the field under his own power.

Rookie Takk McKinley, the 26th overall draft pick, will take Beasley’s place with the first-team defense.

Beasley, the No. 8 overall draft pick of 2015, has two sacks this year. His hit from behind on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers resulted in a fumble Desmond Trufant returned for a touchdown. Beasley had 15.5 sacks last season and was named All-Pro as an edge rusher.

The Falcons are down two starters on defense with right end Courtney Upshaw nursing a sprained ankle. Upshaw was injured on Green Bay’s opening drive and did not return.

Quinn hasn’t ruled out re-signing longtime pass rusher Dwight Freeney, who had three sacks in 15 games with Atlanta last year. Freeney, 37, has not officially retired.

“He’s someone we still talk to on a regular basis,” Quinn said. “I know he certainly wants to play this year, but right now there are no changes on our end as we’re headed into today.”

Schraeder was injured on Atlanta’s opening drive, lying face-down on the turf after hitting his head on Devonta Freeman’s 1-yard touchdown run. Quinn said the severity of Schraeder’s concussion won’t be diagnosed until later this week.

“I don’t want to put the cart before the horse here,” Quinn said. “Let’s let everything played out for the next few days.”

Elliott accused of quitting

Ezekiel Elliott was accused of quitting by Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson in Dallas’ 42-17 loss to Denver.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett never directly disagreed Monday.

While heaping praise on quarterback Dak Prescott for continuing to show fight in his first blowout loss as a pro, Garrett said he eventually would talk to Elliott about the running back twice failing to pursue a defensive back after an interception.

Garrett’s comments to reporters came a few hours after his radio show, when he similarly passed on a chance to dismiss Tomlinson’s criticism .

“Zeke is one of the most natural competitors I’ve ever been around,” Garrett said. “He loves to play. He loves to practice. I think we’ve seen that through his first year playing. Those two plays were not indicative of the kind of competitor that he was and we have to get that addressed.”

Extra points

Corey Coleman’s second NFL season is off to an eerily similar start to his first.

Cleveland’s top wide receiver broke his right hand again during Sunday’s loss in Baltimore, and the 2016 first-round pick had surgery Monday. He is not expected to play again for at least two months.

... Rob Gronkowski says the groin injury he suffered in New Orleans is not serious and pronounced himself as “day to day” regarding this week’s game against the Texans.

Gronkowski, who missed most of the second half of last season and the Super Bowl because of back surgery, caught six passes for 116 yards and a touchdown before leaving after a third-quarter hit.

... Mike Glennon remains the Bears’ starting quarterback. The wait for No. 2 overall draft pick Mitchell Trubisky continues.

Coach John Fox said the Bears won’t be changing quarterbacks for their game against the Steelers this weekend despite a rough outing by Glennon in his return to Tampa Bay as Chicago fell to 0-2.

... The 49ers will be without safety Eric Reid for this week’s game against the Rams because of a left knee injury.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Reid will not need surgery and will probably miss a few games.