ATLANTA  — Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant could be facing season-ending surgery as early as this week.

Trufant is missing his second straight game with a pectoral/shoulder injury when Atlanta hosts the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

The team says Trufant has a doctor’s appointment scheduled for this week, which could confirm that surgery is needed to fix the torn pectoral muscle.

Trufant missed the first game of his four-year career in Atlanta’s loss at Philadelphia on Nov. 13. Falcons coach Dan Quinn expressed optimism about Trufant’s possible return on Wednesday following a bye week, but Trufant continued to experience problems throughout the week.

Trufant, a first-round pick in 2013 and the team’s top defensive back, has seven career interceptions, including one this season.