MINNEAPOLIS -- A few thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons' 41-28 loss to the Minnesota Vikings Sunday at TCF Bank Stadium:
What it means: The Falcons, now 2-2, have now lost four straight on the road dating back to last season, showing they just can't get it done away from home. The best thing going for the Falcons is they're still 2-0 in the NFC South with wins against New Orleans and Tampa Bay, but their next two division games are on the road against the Buccaneers (Nov. 9) and the Panthers (Nov. 16).
Stock Watch: The stock of the defense plummeted to maybe an all-time low. Playing against a rookie quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater and facing a Vikings team without star running back Adrian Peterson, the Falcons allowed 351 yards in the first half and finished by yielding 558 total yards. The run defense was pathetic as unproven Vikings running back Matt Asiata had three rushing touchdowns. And Bridgewater looked like a seasoned vet, completing 19 of 30 passes for 317 yards without an interception before exiting with an ankle injury.
Injury update: Injuries to starting center Joe Hawley (knee), left guard Justin Blalock (back) and right tackle Lamar Holmes (foot) left the Falcons extremely shorthanded along the offensive line to end the game. In fact, 6-foot-8, 265 pound tight end Levine Toilolo had to line up at right tackle at the end of the game with no other able bodies to play the position. The Falcons also lost starting strong safety William Moore with a shoulder injury. It's unclear how Moore got injured, but his leadership on defense is key, particularly with Sean Weatherspoon (Achilles) already out for the season. Kemal Ishmael stepped in for Moore, and Ishmael banged his right knee late but remained in the game.
Game ball: Hard not to acknowledge the efforts of running back Antone Smith, who scored on a 48-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. It was Smith's third touchdown on the season on just 13 touches. He showed great explosion once again, although he has been battling a hamstring injury since preseason. To put it simply, the Falcons have to find a way to get Smith more involved instead of just talking about how he deserves more touches.
What's next: The Falcons visit the New York Giants.
