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ATLANTA -- Some halftime thoughts with the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons tied at 10:

Power running: This has been attitude football for the Patriots as they ran it 10 straight times on their touchdown drive. The Patriots are a bigger team than the Falcons and it seems as if they made a conscious decision to play power football against an undersized defense. The Patriots have been running well out of almost every package, including their three-receiver grouping, which the Falcons matched with a nickel.

Limited-possession game: This has been a limited-possession type of game, sort of like how some of the old Tom Brady/Peyton Manning duels went down. This means margin for error is thin and every possession counts. The Patriots and Falcons each had four series in the first half, with the Patriots' final possession coming after the Falcons scored a touchdown with 38 seconds left in the second quarter (they kneeled on the ball).

Defense hanging tough: After the Falcons’ offense surged on its opening drive, only to be held to a field goal, this conclusion can be drawn: The Patriots’ defense, mixing its looks, has mostly risen to the challenge against the best quarterback (Matt Ryan) the unit has faced this season. Linebacker coverage remains an issue and safety Steve Gregory's breakdown contributed to Tony Gonzalez's 21-yard touchdown with 38 seconds remaining in the second quarter, but overall, this is a half the defense will probably mostly be happy with. Ryan has to be kicking himself for missing a fourth-down throw to open receiver Roddy White, so while the Patriots have stiffened in critical situations, some of the Falcons’ red-zone struggles (a big issue for them entering the game) were of their own doing.

Still no Wilfork: Defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, who was carted off in the first quarter, has not returned to action. The Patriots are rotating the remaining three players on the depth chart -- veteran Tommy Kelly and rookies Joe Vellano and Chris Jones.

Patriots presence felt in crowd: It’s definitely a majority of Falcons fans in the Georgia Dome tonight, but there’s a noticeable Patriots presence as well. That came to the forefront when the Falcons were stopped on fourth down. Plenty of cheers heard.

Setting up the second half: The Patriots get the ball to open the second half.

ATLANTA -- Following 15 minutes of play, the New England Patriots trail the Atlanta Falcons 3-0. Passing along quick-hit notes and observations from the first quarter:

1. Falcons start fast, settle for field goal. As has been the case throughout the season, the Falcons started fast, taking the ball down on their opening drive and advancing to the Patriots' 5-yard line. That was the extent of their success, however, as the Patriots clamped down and limited the Falcons to a field goal. Considering the ease with which Atlanta made it to the red zone, holding the Falcons to a field goal was a win for the Patriots' defense.

2. Wilfork shaken up. The heart and soul of the Patriots' defensive line, nose tackle Vince Wilfork, was shaken up on a play on the opening drive and forced to leave the game. Members of the Patriots' medical staff examined Wilfork's right ankle before taking him on a cart to the locker-room area. The team later announced that he is questionable to return.

3. Jones drawing steady dose of Talib. It hasn't been exclusively Aqib Talib on Falcons receiver Julio Jones, but we've seen quite a bit of the Patriots' top cornerback shadowing Jones around the formation. That's something we saw last week with Talib following Vincent Jackson around. Thus far, Jones has just one catch.

4. Ridley shoulders load early. Last week, Brandon Bolden got the early touches and LeGarrette Blount finished with the most rushing yards, but thus far it's been Stevan Ridley leading the way from the backfield. Ridley already is at 59 yards of total offense.

5. Penalty box. The following Patriots were flagged for penalties during the first quarter: Bolden (illegal shift) and safety Kanorris Davis (illegal formation).

ATLANTA -- New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork left Sunday night's game against the Atlanta Falcons with an ankle injury in the first quarter, limping off the field on the Falcons' first drive of the game.

He was later taken to the locker room on the back of a cart.

The Patriots announced his return as questionable.

Wilfork, one of the team's captains, is a perennial Pro Bowler and vital cog to the team's defense, particularly against the run. He had been added to the team’s injury report this week for the first time, as probable with a foot injury.

The Patriots have been thin at defensive tackle since training camp started in late July, in part because Armond Armstead opened on the non-football injury list after undergoing surgery for an infection. Armstead remains on the non-football injury list, leaving the Patriots with Wilfork, fellow veteran Tommy Kelly and rookies Joe Vellano (undrafted) and Chris Jones (sixth-round pick from the Texans claimed on waivers) at defensive tackle.

ATLANTA -- Offensive starters for the New England Patriots:

LT: Nate Solder
LG: Logan Mankins
C: Ryan Wendell
RG: Dan Connolly
RT: Sebastian Vollmer
TE: Michael Hoomanawanui
QB: Tom Brady
WR: Kenbrell Thompkins
WR: Julian Edelman
FB: James Develin
RB: Stevan Ridley

ATLANTA -- Defensive starters for the Patriots:

DE: Rob Ninkovich
DT: Vince Wilfork
DT: Tommy Kelly
DE: Chandler Jones
LB: Dont'a Hightower
LB: Jerod Mayo
CB: Aqib Talib
CB: Alfonzo Dennard
CB: Kyle Arrington
S: Steve Gregory
S: Devin McCourty

ATLANTA -- Starting New England Patriots right tackle Sebastian Vollmer is active for tonight's game against the Atlanta Falcons, one week after missing the second half of the team's 23-3 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a foot injury.

The Boston Herald reported that Vollmer has a sprained foot. Vollmer was questionable on the team's final injury report and had missed practices on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Patriots' inactive players tonight:

Patriots inactives
LB Steve Beauharnais
DE Jake Bequette
RB Leon Washington
G Chris Barker
TE Rob Gronkowski
WR Danny Amendola
WR Matthew Slater

NOTES: Veteran tackle/guard Will Svitek is active for the first time this season. ... Washington (thigh) has missed three of the first four games of the season. ... Rookie defensive tackle Chris Jones (No. 94) is active for the first time this season.

Falcons inactives
CB Asante Samuel
S Kemal Ishmael
LB Jamar Chaney
RB Steven Jackson
OL Harland Gunn
OT Ryan Schraeder
DT Travian Robertson

NOTES: Samuel had been on the field testing his injured thigh earlier in the day. He looked like a game-time decision. ... Starting left tackle Sam Baker is active, which is notable as he didn't play last week.

Join our ESPN.com NFL experts as they break down the New England Patriots' visit to the Atlanta Falcons. Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. And, be sure to visit our NFL Nation Blitz page for commentary from every game, as well as fan photos and the latest buzz from Twitter. See you there.

ATLANTA -- Welcome to the Georgia Dome, where the New England Patriots visit the Atlanta Falcons (8:30 p.m. ET):

Indoor football. Weather conditions aren’t a factor as this marks the Patriots’ first regular-season game inside a pure dome since Thanksgiving of 2010 (vs. Lions, on Thanksgiving). The Georgia Dome has a permanent seating capacity of 71,250 and is one of the loudest venues in the NFL. Since 2008, the Falcons are 34-7 at home, which is the best record in the NFC.

A feel for inside the dome. Plans to build the Georgia Dome, for $210 million, were first introduced in 1989. The Georgia Dome, which opened in 1992, has hosted two Super Bowls (XXVIII, XXXIV), gymnastics and basketball events for the 1996 Olympic Games, and most recently the NCAA Men’s Final Four for the third time. For football, the mostly red seats and Falcon at midfield give the dome a unique look. Banners hang above from the team’s six division championships, as well as some of former Falcon greats, including Deion Sanders, Jessie Tuggle and Steve Bartkowski.

Four more inactive Patriots players: The Patriots have already ruled tight end Rob Gronkowski and receivers Danny Amendola and Matthew Slater out for the game. That means four more players must be declared inactive, with those decisions turned in to the NFL 90 minutes before kickoff.

Extra points: The Falcons have outscored opponents 31-0 in the first quarter this season. … Under head coach Mike Smith, the Falcons are 22-3 after a loss. … This marks the Patriots’ second of five scheduled nationally televised games this season. … The 34 total points allowed by the Patriots are the fewest for the team through three games since 1979.

Coleman gets the call: Veteran referee Walt Coleman has been assigned tonight’s game. Patriots fans remember Coleman from the “Tuck Rule” game.

Television broadcast: Tonight’s game will be on NBC, with Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya on the call.

Quick-hit thoughts around the NFL and with the Patriots:

1. The difference of opinion between Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff on Dimitroff’s trade up for receiver Julio Jones in the 2011 draft was documented in Michael Holley’s book, “War Room.” After following up on that storyline earlier in the week, some asked what the Browns did with those picks. Here is the breakdown:

Falcons get
2011 first-round (6th overall) -- WR Julio Jones

Browns get
2011 first-rounder (27th) – Traded with ’11 third-rounder (70th overall) for 21st overall pick (DT Phil Taylor)

2011 second-rounder (59th) – WR Greg Little

2011 fourth-rounder (124th) – FB Owen Marecic

2012 first-rounder (22nd) – QB Brandon Weeden

2012 fourth-rounder (118th) – Traded in package to move up for RB Trent Richardson in first round

There are always multiple layers to evaluating a trade. Based on the players the Browns selected, compared with Jones emerging as a big-time difference-maker, the Falcons have to feel like they earned a decisive victory. Of course, that doesn’t consider the players the Browns could have selected, or how a management/head coaching change in 2013 affected the development/future of some of those picks.

2a. I think there’s a reason why Belichick didn’t directly answer the question as to whether he might now have a different opinion on the Jones trade two-plus years later, even knowing what type of player Jones has become and still could be. My feeling is because it’s that he doesn’t have a different opinion and doesn’t feel the need for that to be out there publicly. It’s not so much about Jones, the receiver position, and how the team evaluates receivers. To me, it ties more to his core philosophy on the importance of depth, and how one player almost always isn’t worth five.

2b. There are different ways to build a team and Belichick’s has been successful. It doesn’t mean other blueprints can’t work, and if I’m Dimitroff, I still make the trade because I think it was the right move for the Falcons.

3. With defensive end Rob Ninkovich in the fold, the question has been asked: What Patriot might be next in line for a contract extension? Cornerback Aqib Talib and center Ryan Wendell are the top candidates from this viewpoint. Talib, in particular, has been a difference-maker. In the end, it probably comes down to this: After all the off-field questions surrounding Talib from his time with the Buccaneers, have the Patriots reached an off-field comfort level to invest a multi-year contract in him, and would Talib be willing to include some concessions in the event of another NFL suspension? That looks like the key parts of any compromise. Maybe the Patriots want more time to assess, especially after going in early with Aaron Hernandez and getting burned, but it caught my attention when Belichick said last week that Talib (playing on a one-year, $5 million deal) has become one of the team’s leaders. If we throw out Darrelle Revis’ contract as the outlier in the cornerback market, the projection is a deal in the $6 million to $8 million range per season for Talib.

4. The Patriots’ three-year contract extension with Ninkovich, through 2016, serves as a reminder of what can happen when two sides compromise and their goals are aligned. Could Ninkovich have possibly commanded more on the open market in the offseason? Most likely, but not a guarantee. In the end, Ninkovich found comfort in the team’s system as a three-down player and he had an opportunity for the most financial security of his career after entering the NFL as a fifth-round draft choice in 2006. He quickly learned how fast things can change when he tore his ACL in his rookie season, and by cashing in now, he eliminates that type of risk. Meanwhile, the Patriots value Ninkovich’s professionalism, dependability, durability and most of all, his play on the field. They now retain a core player at a fair mid-level salary. That’s why we’d say it's a win-win.

5. With Brian Hoyer now starting for the Browns, and Matt Cassel being tapped by the Vikings to replace the injured Christian Ponder, three of the league’s 32 starting quarterbacks today will have received their start in the Patriots’ system. Funny how that works sometimes -- Hoyer (undrafted, 2009) and Cassel (seventh round, 2005) have been the team’s young backups who elevated to starting roles elsewhere while high picks Rohan Davey (fourth round, 2002) and Kevin O’Connell (third round, 2008) never did. As one tweeter pointed out last week, Davey is still playing football – for the San Antonio Talons of the Arena Football League.

6. After re-watching the Patriots-Buccaneers game from last Sunday, the disconnect between what the Buccaneers are paying cornerback Darrelle Revis ($16 million per season) and how they are using him (more zone coverage than he’s played in the past) was especially notable. On some critical third-down plays, such as Aaron Dobson’s 15-yard catch with 11:48 remaining in the second quarter, Revis passed Dobson off in zone coverage. While the Buccaneers’ switch at quarterback is the big story – and it was easy to see that coming in August – I’m now more interested to see how things unfold with Revis in Tampa Bay. From afar, it seems like they’ve bought a $100,000-plus Maserati and decided to leave it in the garage.

7. With the Patriots visiting the Falcons tonight, and Atlanta’s Matt Ryan looking everything like a franchise quarterback who most teams would be happy to build around, it made me look back at the 2008 draft and why Ryan was available at No. 3 overall. That was a year in which two quarterback-needy teams – Miami and St. Louis – were picking No. 1 and 2 yet they passed in favor of left tackle Jake Long (1) and defensive end Chris Long (2). I attended Ryan’s pro day at Boston College that year and remember all the questions about his 19 interceptions his final season and if he was a real franchise quarterback. Seems silly now looking back on it.

8. This is what I wrote on Sept. 15: “When did the NFC suddenly become so much deeper than the AFC? Seems like yesterday it was the other way around.” Three weeks later, the AFC is 11-3 in games against the NFC and I’m not looking too sharp. We’ll see how it all turns out, but if I had to sum up one of the NFL’s top storylines at this point, this is it. It’s also why the NFL is so great -- who figured the Chiefs would be 3-0 and the Giants 0-3?

9. Random thought: It’s easy to correlate penalties with losing football, but that’s not always the case. Consider that the Jets lead the NFL with 34 accepted penalties but are 2-1, while only three teams have fewer accepted penalties than the Vikings (12) and only four teams have fewer accepted penalties than the Steelers (13), and they’re both 0-3.

10. Did You Know: With a win tonight, Belichick will tie Pittsburgh’s Chuck Noll for fifth place on the NFL’s all-time wins list, with 209. The top five are Don Shula (347), George Halas (324), Tom Landry (270), Curly Lambeau (229) and Noll.

ATLANTA -- Starting right tackle Sebastian Vollmer and running back/kickoff returner Leon Washington, both of whom were questionable on Friday's injury report, have made the trip with the Patriots.

That means they still have a chance to play in Sunday night's game against the Falcons.

Vollmer missed the second half of the team's 22-3 win over the Buccaneers on Sept. 22 with a foot injury, while Washington was inactive for the game with a thigh injury.

The Patriots downgraded just two players Saturday -- receiver Danny Amendola and tight end Rob Gronkowski. They join special-teams captain Matthew Slater as players who will not play.

The Patriots must declare four more players inactive by 90 minutes before kickoff.

In the week leading up to January's AFC Championship Game, the New England Patriots didn't hide from one of the biggest challenges they'd be facing: finding a way to slow down the Ravens' vertical passing game, led by speedy wideout Torrey Smith.

One of the wrinkles we saw from the defense that week in working to slow Smith down was using safety Devin McCourty to put an umbrella on the side of the formation that Smith aligned to. Smith managed four catches for 69 yards that day, but the Patriots were able to prevent him from exploding down the field and victimizing their defense like he had many others.

On Sunday, the Patriots face an even more difficult downfield test in Julio Jones, perhaps the best young receiver in all of football. Jones leads the league in both catches (27) and receiving yards (373), and no one has a longer play from scrimmage than Jones' 81-yard touchdown catch in a Week 2 win against the Rams.

So with that in mind, might this be a week the Patriots again use McCourty to shade to the side of a vertical-stressing wideout? Doing so doesn't necessarily compromise the Patriots' defense, but it does leave them a little bit vulnerable to defend the rest of the Atlanta Falcons' talented receiving corps. In facing an offense like the one in Atlanta or the one in Denver, there's an element of picking your poison -- loading up to defend one player opens up space and opportunities for another.

But given how explosive Jones has been this season, and also that fellow wideout Roddy White has been limited by an ankle sprain, this may be a week where zoning in on one element of Atlanta's offense could pay dividends with a ripple-down effect.

The Falcons will find ways to score against any defense in any given week, but if the Patriots can prevent rapid-fire scores, they’ll make it much harder on an offense that will be without its best running back and dealing with injury issues along the offensive line.

ATLANTA -- New England tight end Rob Gronkowski and receiver Danny Amendola did not travel with the team to Atlanta, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter first reported on Saturday. That rules both players out for Sunday night's game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Both were projected to be out in ESPNBoston.com's weekly inactive forecast.

As has been the norm for road games, the Patriots will update their injury report later tonight.

It’s complicated. It often is.

Those are the primary thoughts when it comes to Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski and his murky status.

Let’s try to sort through some of the dynamics in play:

Role of the “circle.” As ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported in the wake of a Boston Herald report, this “goes beyond the Patriots' decision and to Gronkowski's circle of family, friends and advisers.” Gronkowski has undergone five surgeries since last November, so one can empathize with those close to the tight end who might believe a return Sunday night is too soon. We know from Gronkowski’s three-plus seasons with the Patriots, which started with Gronkowski celebrating on the stage at the NFL draft with his family and friends and continued with the most recent book he wrote with his father and brothers, that Gronkowski’s family and inner "circle” plays a big role in his life. It seems fair to say the inner "circle” has more influence with Gronkowski than the standard player.

Dynamic of trust with medical decisions. It wouldn’t be surprising to learn that the viewpoint of Gronkowski’s inner "circle" has been affected by the last time Gronkowski was cleared to play by the team’s medical staff, in the 2012 AFC divisional round of the playoffs. That’s when Gronkowski re-broke the forearm on his seventh play. When something like that happens, even if it’s considered a freak accident and/or bad luck, one could understand how a trust might be affected.

Patriots' viewpoint. Would the team pressure Gronkowski to return to the field? Surely every team wants to see a return on its investment and the Patriots are obviously a better team with Gronkowski on the field. But they also have a long-term interest, which team president Jonathan Kraft pointed out in his weekly interview on 98.5 The Sports Hub on Sept. 22. “At the end of the day, we care about the players’ long-term health and in the case of guys like Danny [Amendola] and Rob, who are signed to this team for a long time, it’s not about this week and next week. It’s about the next 4-5 years and we collectively want to make the right decision.”

Player makes the final call. The unanswered question, from this viewpoint, is what does Gronkowski think? It’s one thing if his inner "circle” doesn’t want him to play and he agrees. It’s another thing if he feels ready, but those close to him are urging him to hold off. Knowing how Gronkowski feels would add important context to this situation. If he doesn’t want to play, it would be surprising to me if he’s on the field Sunday night.