FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Desmond Trufant wore a blank stare as he stood by his locker, obviously annoyed by the reality of losing another high-scoring game on his home turf.
But the Atlanta Falcons cornerback didn't let the frustration of the moment tarnish his outlook for the immediate future. Of course, Trufant knows the defense isn't nearly the same without Pro Bowl middle linebacker Deion Jones (foot), Pro Bowl strong safety Keanu Neal (ACL), or all-purpose free safety Ricardo Allen (Achilles). At the same time, Trufant refused to use that as a crutch to explain why the 1-3 Falcons surrendered 80 points in two consecutive home losses, including Sunday's 37-36 defeat at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals.