Falcons Lose A.J. Terrell to IR Just in Time for a Thursday Night Trip to Lambeau

The Atlanta Falcons are currently operating like a social experiment to see how much misery one fanbase can endure before September even ends. Fresh off a 34-3 blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers that dropped them to 0-2, the defense just lost its most important piece.

According to Ian Rapoport, starting cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. is officially heading to injured reserve. To fill the newly vacant roster spot, Atlanta signed defensive lineman Zach Harrison to the active 53-man roster.

"Ian Rapoport reported the roster moves on Twitter."

Losing your top cover guy right after giving up 34 points to a division rival is the kind of defensive momentum that makes opposing offensive coordinators giggle into their clipboards. Terrell was already dealing with a shoulder issue from the Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, tried to gut it out in Week 2, and didn't even survive the first quarter before a groin injury ended his afternoon.

Now, he is shelved for at least the next four games. For anyone looking at the betting totals for Atlanta's upcoming matchups, the math just got a lot more interesting. The Falcons are now relying on a patchwork secondary featuring Mike Hughes and C.J. Henderson to hold the line against actual NFL passing attacks.

Bringing up Harrison gives the defensive front some familiar depth. The former third-round pick has logged plenty of snaps for Atlanta over the last few years, but unless the 270-pound lineman can magically cover go-routes 40 yards down the sideline, the back end of this defense is still a massive target.

Things do not get any easier from here. The Falcons have to turn around on a short week and travel to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football. Going on the road with a battered secondary, a winless record, and a defense leaking water is a recipe for a very long flight home.