Atlanta Falcons: Turner, Rodgers and Snelling form RB committee
By Michael Cunningham
FLOWERY BRANCH — If the Falcons are moving past their days of pounding away at opponents with running back Michael Turner then it could mean they are just catching up to the times.
The NFL’s era of feeding the ball to one big featured back have faded in favor of spreading the ball around to multiple backs with different styles. For the Falcons, their 24-23 victory at Tampa Bay might have been the beginning of their full embrace of that trend.
Jacquizz Rodgers played 31 offensive snaps against the Buccaneers compared to Turner’s 23. With the exception of Atlanta’s lopsided victory at San Diego, when Rodgers got extra playing time with the game in hand, it was the first time this season Turner didn’t get the most snaps among the running backs.
“We feel like Jacquizz is a very viable option to carry the football and has done a nice job for us,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “It has become more of the vogue thing to do, to have a ‘running back by committee.’”
Atlanta’s victory against Tampa Bay showed the potential benefits of using multiple backs.
Jason Snelling had three catches for 33 yards, Rodgers had a 32-yard catch and a 20-yard run among his 79 total yards and Turner powered in for a three-yard touchdown for one highlight in a 13-carry, 17-yard day.
“For one thing, it keeps the defense guessing,” Snelling said. “We are similar but different styles of running and what we can do.”
The upshot is that the Falcons are running the ball with less frequency and, when they do run, Turner is getting it less often.
In each of Turner’s three previous full seasons in Atlanta (he missed five games in 2009), his rushing attempts were remarkably consistent: 67 percent of the team’s carries in 2008, 67 percent in 2010, and 66.4 percent in 2012. This season, Turner has 62.7 percent of Atlanta’s carries.
Earlier in the season Turner said he’s a rhythm runner who needs a lot of carries to be effective. Now he said he’s learned to stay focused and be ready when he does get his chances.
“I am pretty much used to my role now,” Turner said. “It’s been an adjustment, no doubt about that. I’ve just got to do what I’ve got to do.”
Turner’s efficiency is at an all-time low: He’s gained 3.5 yards per carry this season and, without dramatic improvement in production, is on pace for the worst mark of his career. His previous low was 4.1 yards per carry in 2010.
Smith said he believes Turner still can be an efficient runner even with fewer carries.
“I certainly do,” he said. “We have stated from the very beginning that we were not going to look up at the end of the season and see that one back has 300 carries. That’s not the way this offense is built now.”
With 60 carries, Rodgers already has surpassed his total of 57 from his rookie season of 2011. At 5-6 and 196 pounds it’s not clear how many carries he could withstand though he’s certainly shown a willingness to run inside.
“I can run between the tackles as well as run outside,” said Rodgers, Atlanta’s fifth-round selection in the 2011 draft. “I’ve been playing running back all my life so its’ a natural instinct. Once you get it, just run tough.”
Falcons fullback Mike Cox said Rodgers is a “strong dude” for his size.
“Quick in space but he also runs hard [so] it takes more than one person to bring him down,” Cox said.
Rodgers’ performance against the Bucs earned him notice among experts scrutinizing Atlanta’s lackluster running game, with NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders going so far as to say: “Jacquizz Rodgers needs to be the starter [because] he gives the Falcons a lot more production.”
ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski praised Rodgers for his ability to make plays in space, especially in the passing game, but noted that he’s “not a power runner.”
“They’ve got to be careful they don’t get too far away from their core values of running the football,” Jaworski said.
Snelling said the Falcons feel the same way.
“We are still striving to run the ball and be a physical running team,” Snelling said. “But we have guys who can do different things: catching screens, catching the ball out of the backfield, short passes. Things like that can work as runs, too. Just having that diversity with our backs can help the offense a lot.”
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78 comments Add your comment
Young Turk
November 28th, 2012
12:46 pm
DIRTY BIRD ROCK anyone??
http://dirtybirdrock.blogspot.com/2012/11/dirty-bird-rock.html
ATL/UGA #1 fan
November 28th, 2012
12:50 pm
Hey Falcon fans…I like the committee of running backs…ya know we should also use turner a a blocking back with Quizz….have them both in the game…but I seriously think Quizz and Snelling are the better , quicker, more in football shape to get the job done..look, I am pulling for Turner, but he has gotten slower and does not even look in great shape to me…Go Falcons….hope #22 is able to go against no thursday! Go FALCONS!
okeetee
November 28th, 2012
12:50 pm
“For Ron Jaworski to say that the Falcons “core value” is running the football…wow, no wonder he got kicked off the Monday Night Football broadcast.”
….yeah, what Falcon team has he been watching??? In fact, the WHOLE league is a passing league now and will continue to be! So we need a couple of backs that can run….but can also CATCH the ball! Turner is a poor receiver to go with his poor running. Hey, I love Turner. But there comes a time when you have to “turn Mother’s picture to the wall and get out!” We are paying Turner and we will use Turner….but not as a starter and not as the primary running back! He does pick up blitz’s very well…..so let’s keep that in mind. It’s up to the coaching staff to fix this problem and use him and the other backs in the best possible way! Turner UP THE MIDDLE is now obsolete! It doesn’t work! Stop it! Stop it NOW!
ATL/UGA #1 fan
November 28th, 2012
12:53 pm
please give Antione Smith the ball! Turner should be the 4th back to get the ball, quizz, snelling, a. smith, turner….its time to do what we gotta do coaches to get to and win the Super Bowl! Like cutting edwards…great move…keep on keeping on!Go Falcons!!!
eLLIott
November 28th, 2012
1:06 pm
Young Turk – very cool – I dig the DirtyBirdRock Website. Love it love it.
Jimmy Crack
November 28th, 2012
1:34 pm
Forces of nature…
Thunder – Snelling
Lightning – Rodgers
Mudslide – Turner
4BsihTneeS
November 28th, 2012
1:36 pm
The fal can’ts should have Stanley Steemer on notice to be ready-free on Friday morning to clean that carpet; wouldn’t want to have those college boys playing on all that uric waste this weekend!
G E A U X S A I N T S ! ! !
old man
November 28th, 2012
1:50 pm
WHERE’S ANTONE???
okeetee
November 28th, 2012
1:56 pm
I guess for aint fanzs this is there SUPERBOWL Thursday night! Beating us twice this year is about the best they can do to salvage a pathetic season! I just don’t see it happening. The Falcons are improving and learning from past mistakes and they KNOW this is a big revenge game and will be focused! If not, well…..I for one will be extremely disappointed! Unless Ryan gets hurt, we should win this game for sure! Of course, he can’t throw 5 interceptions either! And he won’t.
FOOTBALL RUNNERS » Turner, Rodgers and Snelling form RB committee
November 28th, 2012
2:15 pm
[...] running the ball with less frequency and, when they do run, Turner is getting it less often.” Click here for full article Share on Facebook [...]
GTT
November 28th, 2012
2:18 pm
Turner is often brought down by small defensive backs grabbing his ankle. The can’t run through people anymore. He’s built like a bigger William Andrews, but doesn’t run like one.
Esquire
November 28th, 2012
2:21 pm
PMC
November 28th, 2012
11:35 am
Kashi, it will be on WATL.
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Actually the game will be broadcast locally on WUPA, Channel 69………..I think they start a pregame coverage at 6pm.
Esquire
November 28th, 2012
2:23 pm
GTT
November 28th, 2012
2:18 pm
Turner is often brought down by small defensive backs grabbing his ankle. The can’t run through people anymore. He’s built like a bigger William Andrews, but doesn’t run like one.
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Defense’s have figured out all you have to do is touch his legs and he is going down. He is a free agent after next year so look for him to amp it up then………….too bad he isn’t a free agent after this season.
Ron Roberts
November 28th, 2012
2:36 pm
Like the Falcons’ play calling, this column only went – occasionally – to the answer to what ails their run game: Jason Snelling and Turner should have their roles swapped. How many carries has J-Snell had this season? Is it single digits?
1 & Done
November 28th, 2012
2:42 pm
Hi Matty Ice, it’s me Destiny.
All you need to know about the hype Falcons is....
November 28th, 2012
2:45 pm
The only 10-1 team and ranked behind 2 9-2 teams.
d
November 28th, 2012
3:58 pm
“The only 10-1 team and ranked behind 2 9-2 teams.’
Uh dude, 10-1 is better than 9-2.
jax
November 28th, 2012
4:13 pm
Somebody tell Mike Smith that Jason Snellimg is still on the Team -Snelling is big, fast and strong runner/reciever-even blocks some-Turner plays like Dan Uggla this season
Starship 1
November 28th, 2012
4:42 pm
DOL: I still don’t have an answer to my post question. Does Micheal Turner’s contract call for him to touch the ball X amounts of times in a game? No one has yet answered that question.
Falcon James
November 28th, 2012
5:00 pm
Let’s bring back the Wishbone and let the defense guess.
Sis-Boom-Bah Humbug
November 28th, 2012
6:16 pm
The title/content of this article, “Running Back by Committee”, is absurd. When is Snelling finally going to get his turn to resurrect the Falcons’ running game? So far this year, he has been banned from participation on this “committee”. Given an opportunity, Snelling could hardly be as unproductive as the Falcons’ alleged “feature back” over the 2011-2012 seasons.
Only recently has Quizz been allowed to participate very much on this mislabeled “committee”. As many fans expected, the results have been very exciting & productive.
Whether out of compassion for opponents or simply because of old-fashioned pigheadedness, the Falcons have forfeited many, many downs by putting Michael “Tip Toe through the Tulips” Turner on the field. No playoff contender can afford that kind of “diversity”. Furthermore, it’s more accurately called self-inflicted adversity.
My interpretation regarding the article is that Mike Smith, perhaps under duress, is at last going to PHASE OUT Turner. And the “committee” euphemism is a face-saving way of camouflaging the transition. For sake of the Falcons’ playoff prospects, let’s hope that this is indeed the case.
NFL News & Rumors: Wednesday 11/28 | NFL Trade Rumors
November 28th, 2012
6:33 pm
[...] Head coach Mike Smith will using a runningback committee approach. (D. Orlando Ledbetter) [...]
"E" from Riverdale
November 28th, 2012
7:13 pm
Biscuit, you nailed it. Coach Smith seems to have a blockage somewhere. The Falcons draft players and reuse to develope depth. It like they go nut city when they have an inury to a starter, even though Smith talks the next man up talk, he does not mean it. The Falcons might have the next sack leader or thye next greatest corner ack or running back in the league but no one in the cit of Atlanta or the state of Ga. will now it until that paler goes to another team.. Look at the Brett Favre screw up. Falcons play the players you had enough confdence to draft.
okeetee
November 28th, 2012
7:54 pm
“DOL: I still don’t have an answer to my post question. Does Micheal Turner’s contract call for him to touch the ball X amounts of times in a game? No one has yet answered that question.”
….I’ll answer your question….NO! If anything, he would have a clause in his contract that if he plays X amount of downs or has X amount of carries he would get a BONUS! Obviously, the Falcons are NOT interested in giving Turner a bonus! It would be much more likely that the Falcons would LIMITED his touches to keep from having to pay him a bonus…..especially if he was not running well….which HE IS NOT! The observation here is that Turner should play more in the second half than the first, if at all! When the defensive lineman are half worn out chasing our other scat backs all over the field, then we bring in Turner and see if he can plow through the line like he use to! But as one of our posters pointed out……running Turner on 1st down up the middle puts us in 2nd and 9 way too often! Running him up the middle on 2nd and 9 results in 3rd and 8! We’ve been getting away with it because of our weak opponents and our great passing game. But at some point we need to get more yards on 1st down because the competition gets stiffer in the playoffs and teams are smarter and better both offensively and defensively!
4BsihTneeS
November 28th, 2012
8:04 pm
i have a horrific yeast infection
4BsihTneeS
November 28th, 2012
8:05 pm
like seriously. there’s puss. does anyone know a good gyno? i’m hundo% srs.
hiramsaint
November 28th, 2012
8:07 pm
i kno drew brees isn’t gae bc i gave him a hj and he dint finish
PlanB
November 29th, 2012
7:13 pm
“E” from Riverdale
November 28th, 2012
7:13 pm
Biscuit, you nailed it. Coach Smith seems to have a blockage somewhere. The Falcons draft players and refuse to develope depth. It’s like they go nut city when they have an inury to a starter, even though Smith talks the next man up talk, he does not mean it. The Falcons might have the next sack leader or thy next greatest corner back or running back in the league but no one in the city of Atlanta or the state of Ga. will know it until that player goes to another team.. Look at the Brett Favre screw up. Falcons play the players you had enough confidence to draft.
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I agree with this completely. MS has brought the Falcons out of the mud but he still has a way to go to be a great coach. We see these problems all the time and about 90% of us agree on the mistakes he makes. We are always corrected by few that says we aren’t coaches but eventually things change as we thought it should. That 10% are probably the ones that said we shouldn’t give a 2 for TG or move up for JJ. Now many are saying MS doesn’t give players we see doing a good job in the preseason a chance. Think what MS could do if he was a great coach instead of a good coach.