Rough and devastating blow for #Atlanta #Falcons, who lose franchise CB Brent #Grimes for season

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RT @NFL_ATL: Rough blow for Falcons, who lose franchise CB BrentGrimes for season.http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000060448/article/report-brent-grimes-heading-to-ir-with-achilles-injury?campaign=Twitter_atl

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Brent Grimes on injured reserve with Achilles injury

The Atlanta Falcons suffered a potentially devastating blow on Monday with news that cornerback Brent Grimes has played his last game of 2012. Who will step up in his absence?

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3:26 PM - 10 Sep 12 · Details

The Atlanta Falcons will be forced to go the rest of the way without cornerback Brent Grimes.

In a surprising development, Grimes is done for the season after suffering an Achilles injury on Sunday, coach Mike Smith announced Monday.

Undrafted out of Shippensburg University in 2007, Grimes has started 44 games for the Falcons in five-plus seasons with 13 interceptions. He had a combined 11 interceptions in 2009 and 2010, and was an alternate Pro Bowl pick in 2010.Grimes exited the Falcons' 40-24 win over the Kansas City Chiefs with what was believed to be a calf injury. Smith said after the game he was unsure how much time Grimes would miss.

Grimes -- who received Atlanta's franchise tag in the offseason -- moved to right cornerback after the Falcons acquired Asante Samuel in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. Pairing the two veterans put Atlanta in position to greatly improve its pass defense in 2012. Now the team must regroup on the fly.