They were minus-4 in that department Sunday against Atlanta, and that was the biggest reason they lost 24-17 at the Metrodome.

The Vikings fumbled seven times and lost four of them. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson was responsible for two of those turnovers. Adrian Peterson played a role in three fumbles (losing one). Bernard Berrian committed a turnover on a muffed punt.

"You've got to take care of the Football," Vikings coach Brad Childress said. "That's what we're all fighting over."

At one point, the Vikings fumbled on four consecutive possessions.

Here's a closer look at the four turnovers, and one close call:

THE MUFFED PUNT

Bernard Berrian has been electrifying often this season, including his 99-yard touchdown against Chicago at the Metrodome and an 82-yard punt return last week against Arizona.

But his mistake Sunday on a muffed punt was a huge error that helped put the Vikings in a hole early in the second quarter.

Berrian caught the punt cleanly and started to make a move past Atlanta's Eric Weems. But as Weems went past Berrian, he reached around with his left arm to try to tackle Berrian from behind. Weems then poked the ball loose with his right hand.

"I thought he was by me already," Berrian said. "I was getting ready to put it away, and he knocked it out. Good play by him."

Atlanta's Michael Boley recovered the fumble on the ground, giving the Falcons possession with 26 seconds remaining in the first quarter at the Minnesota 22. The Falcons ran the ball twice with Michael Turner, and then Matt Ryan hit Jerious Norwood with an 8-yard touchdown pass to take a 14-7 lead with 14:06 left in the first half.

PETERSON'S FIRST FUMBLE

The Vikings had a nice drive going after Norwood's touchdown catch, but it ended in disaster with a Peterson fumble and turnover.

The Vikings appeared ready to answer Atlanta's touchdown with one of their own. They had moved the ball from their 22 to inside the Atlanta 20-yard line.

On first down at the Atlanta 24, Peterson ran around the left end to the 17, where he was hit by safety Lawyer Milloy, who forced the fumble. Cornerback Chris Houston recovered at the 17 and gained 4 yards with 10:26 left in the second quarter.

The Falcons couldn't convert that turnover into points, but the fumble wiped out what would have been a field goal, if not a touchdown, by the Vikings.

"When I go out there, one thing that goes through my mind is, make sure you secure the ball," Peterson said. "The type of running back I am, I find myself out there fighting for yards, and that can sometimes put myself in a vulnerable position. When I'm scratching for yards and guys are coming, you've got 11 guys coming in trying to knock that ball out. You've really got to be conscious of that and be conscious of holding the ball tight when guys are flying in. That's what it was on that first (fumble). I was going down, keeping my feet moving, trying to get every inch I could, and the guy came in and made a great play."

THE BOTCHED EXCHANGE

The Vikings committed their third turnover on their next possession on a botched handoff exchange involving Jackson and Peterson.

On this fumble, the Falcons got the ball back with 3:55 left in the first half and went on to kick a 22-yard field goal that put them ahead 17-7 with seven seconds left in the half.

After Jackson was benched early in the season, Peterson and Jackson missed about three months of working together in games and practice.

Maybe that missed time played a role. Perhaps their chemistry was thrown off.

"We really didn't get a clean exchange," Peterson said. "The play was kind of screwed up. I talked to Tarvaris. It didn't feel right, so it was just a bad exchange."

It appeared that Jackson was struggling to get Peterson the Football. Jackson reached out as Peterson opened both arms to secure it, but Peterson didn't get the ball. Officially, the fumble was credited to Jackson, but Peterson played a role.

Said Jackson: "I can't really tell you exactly what happened, but we have got to make that exchange."

THE FINAL TURNOVER

The Vikings' momentum was sapped after they got the ball first to start the second half. They started at their 20 and moved to the Atlanta 16. The Vikings had a first down there with 11:11 left in the third.

But Jackson was sacked at the 25 by defensive tackle Kindal Moorehead, who burst through the offensive line and hit Jackson low. Jackson held the ball too long on the play and was careless when he was hit, holding the ball in his right hand away from his body.

The ball flew back to the Atlanta 45, where Falcons defensive end Chauncey Davis recovered. He was tackled by Vikings center Matt Birk.

The Falcons couldn't convert the turnover into points, but once again the fumble wiped out a prime scoring opportunity for the Vikings, who were trailing 17-7.

"I have to do a better job of taking care of the Football," Jackson said. "I had the ball in my hand. I was about to pull it away, but the guy made a good play and hit me, and the ball went flying back."

THE WEIRD SHOTGUN SNAP

There was another play that didn't result in a turnover but was a big error. With 6:51 left in the third quarter, Jackson was lined up in a shotgun formation on third and 9 at the Minnesota 33. Birk snapped the ball to him, but it went flying by Jackson's left ear.

Jackson recovered at the Minnesota 11, and the Vikings were forced to punt. The Falcons got the ball back at their 49, and they were able to go down and score after Ryan was upended, fumbled and the Falcons recovered the ball in the end zone for a 24-7 lead with 2:38 left in the third quarter.

"He (Jackson) wasn't ready for it," Birk said of the shotgun snap.

Said Childress: "They (the Falcons) were lined up in a zero blitz, and he (Birk) was trying to re-identify the (middle linebacker), and Tarvaris was looking in the back end to see what he was going to get versus the blitz pressure. Matt hiked it back, and Tarvaris didn't get his eyes back on the center."

Jackson said he and Birk miscommunicated on the play.

"We got to do a better job of getting on the same page," Jackson said. "He was ready. I wasn't ready."

That was the fourth consecutive offensive series for the Vikings in which they fumbled.