Falcons Place A.J. Terrell Jr. on IR, Turning a Bad Start Into a Defensive Crisis
Adam Schefter reported the Falcons placed CB A.J. Terrell Jr. on injured reserve.
The just placed their top cornerback, , on injured reserve, officially turning a bad start to the season into a full-blown defensive crisis. Adam Schefter broke the news, confirming what everyone who watched grab his midsection against the Carolina Panthers already knew.
went down in the first quarter of Week 2 while trying to cover Tetairoa McMillan. He was initially checked for a concussion in the blue tent, cleared that, but was ruled out with a groin injury. Now, he is sidelined for at least four weeks, leaving the secondary looking like a preseason depth chart.
This is a brutal blow for a guy who has been the anchor of this defense. is a seventh-year veteran and a former All-Pro who racked up 43 passes defensed over his first four seasons. He was already playing through a shoulder issue from Week 1 after wrestling with Pittsburgh Steelers receiver , which means his body basically threw in the towel by Week 2.
The Falcons are sitting at 0-2 after getting completely dismantled 34-3 by Carolina. Losing your best cover corner when you are already giving up 34 points to a division rival is like finding a hole in your lifeboat while you are already actively sinking.
From a betting perspective, losing an elite corner does not swing the point spread quite like a quarterback injury, but it absolutely forces sportsbooks to adjust the totals. When a defense has to rely on a rotation of , Mike Hughes, and CJ to stop top-tier receivers, the over suddenly looks a lot more appealing to the public.
now has to figure out how to patch this leaky secondary before a brutal road trip. They head to Lambeau Field to face the next, and unless this backup unit figures out how to cover NFL receivers overnight, it is going to be a very long flight home.