SEATTLE — The Rams scored an apparent touchdown Sunday, but the referees stepped in to call a “medical timeout.”
On the previous play, Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell blasted one of the Rams’ tight ends, who was trying to block him on a screen play.
With Terrell shaken from the hit, the referee stepped in to stop the game. Terrell was cleared and is preparing to help the Falcons (0-2) get ready to face the Seahawks (1-1) at 4:25 p.m. Sunday at Lumen Field.
“They did it last year when we played the Cowboys,” Terrell said of the medical timeout. “They did the same thing to me.”
Terrell was taken to the blue medical tent for observation. He apparently passed the test, as he emerged with his helmet in his left hand. If you don’t pass the concussion protocols, they take your helmet away.
“They came and got me,” Terrell said. “It was later last year than it was this year. When it had happened in the Cowboys’ game, I got it and did like a play or two, and they came and got me.”
It was a weird-looking play, but Terrell did level the tight end.
“Oh, yeah, I hit the tight end,” Terrell said. “It’s on video.”
The hard-hitting Terrell is not familiar with the concept of making a “business decision.”
“He’s one of the toughest players that I’ve been fortunate to coach in this league,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “Sometimes, you are coming in there, whether you are playing Cover-2 or quarters, and you’ve got to crack and replace. He’s not scared. He doesn’t go in there with a flashlight.”
Sometimes, it’s hard to get your head to the side of an oncoming blocker.
“We try to teach great fundamentals, but a lot of times (the officials) call in when a guy is slow to get up,” Smith said. “That’s all that happened on Sunday.”
Terrell was asked if he needs to reconsider his physical style of play.
“Probably,” Terrell said. “But when you are playing defense, you are just flying around and reacting. Not really thinking about, let me tackle this way. Just going out there and just playing.”
At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, Terrell packs the wallop of a bigger safety or linebacker.
“I need to find a way to just get the guy down instead of throwing my body around, but it works,” Terrell said.
Terrell understands the trips to the blue tent.
“It was good,” Terrell said. “Just going through the little stuff, the little protocols or whatever. Just making sure I was straight and was able to go back out there and compete.”
Against the Seahawks, Terrell will have another key matchup when he faces DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
He’s been in coverage on three touchdowns – two against New Orleans’ Michael Thomas and one against the Rams’ Allen Robinson – in the first two games.
“At the end of the day, you’re down there, if there is any kind of pressure, the ball is coming out quick, and you’re in one-on-one,” Smith said. “If you’re in some kind of man coverage on the outside, regardless of what’s going on inside with a combination of the pressure. So, we’ll continue to work on the line of scrimmage, he will.
“I’ve got all the faith in the world in him. He’s gone up against some pretty good matchups.”
Terrell plans to be ready for Metcalf and Lockett.
“Just going into each week with a 1-0 mindset,” Terrell said. “Not looking, dwelling too much on the past. Being able to look forward and everybody coming in with the right preparation. Just dial in for the next opponent.”
Terrell knows he has to move past those plays.
“Definitely. Playing corner, you have to have a short memory,” Terrell said. “You have to be able to bounce back ASAP. Being able to let plays go that you can’t get back. Definitely, that’s my mindset all the time.”
Terrell, who’s in only his third season after he was taken 16th overall in the 2020 NFL draft, is one of the veterans of the defense. He’s passing that message along to the other defenders. Terrell, who played at Westlake High and Clemson, and Grady Jarrett are the only returning starters from the defense that opened last season.
“It’s crazy, but it’s true,” Terrell said. “You have to get everybody on that same type of page. It’s important. You can’t dwell on things. … Just making sure that everybody has that tunnel vision, are able to look forward and get through the slumps. We’ll be good.”
The Falcons have had wild swings on defense over the first two games of the season. In the opener against the Saints, they forced punts on four of their first six possessions and gave up scores on four of the last six. A week later, they gave up a touchdown on four of their first five possessions and gave up only one score on L.A.’s final five possessions.
“We don’t want to put ourselves in that position,” Terrell said. “We just have got to do the right things early in the game because it all leads up to the end. Those little details just pile up at the end of the game where we could have made a few plays that would help us win the game later on. Just details and focusing on little keys like that.”
Those little details will allow the Falcons to play faster.
“Just make the right plays when they come to you,” Terrell said. “Get on and off the field. Get the ball to our offense and special teams will put us in good field position to compete and win.”
The Falcons have forced four turnovers: two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. The offense has committed five, which puts them at a minus-1 turnover ratio. The plan is for the defense to keep creating turnovers, while the offense starts holding onto the ball.
“It’s giving the team life,” Terrell said of the turnovers. “Us getting turnovers is points in our mind; it’s another opportunity.
The pass defense is a project, too.
“We’ve got to trust the (defensive) line, and the line has got to trust us,” Terrell said. “It works hand in hand.”
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The Bow Tie Chronicles
Atlanta Falcons 2022 NFL schedule
Sept. 11: Saints 27, Falcons 26
Sept. 18: Rams 31, Falcons 27
Sun., Sept. 25 at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 2, Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 9, at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 16 vs. San Francisco, 1 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 23 at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 30 vs. Carolina, 1 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 6 vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 1 p.m.
Thur., Nov. 10 vs. at Carolina, 8:15 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 20 vs. Chicago, 1 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 27 at Washington, 1 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 4 vs. Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
BYE WEEK
Sun., Dec. 18 at New Orleans, TBD
Sat., Dec. 24, at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Sun., Jan. 1 vs. Arizona, 1 p.m.
Sun., Jan. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
