Falcons find Norwood is a weapon of many uses

Flowery Branch —- The pleas to get running back Jerious Norwood the ball have been heard. Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey stays up late at night figuring out new ways to deploy the fleet running back.

“[Mularkey’s] having fun,” running back Michael Turner said. “It’s probably like playing a video game to him. He’s moving guys all around and doing all kinds of stuff.”

Early in last Sunday’s game against Oakland, Mularkey unleashed the full-throttle Norwood plan.

He played quarterback. He flanked out at wide receiver. He was the deep back in the backfield. He caught a swing pass and scooted up the sideline.

“Jerious is a very gifted athlete,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “He can do a number of things. He’s very multi-faceted. … When you give him opportunities to get touches, he’s made the most of them.”

Norwood’s versatility has led to more than 1,000 multipurpose yards —- 285 rushing, 115 receiving, 561 on kickoff returns —- through eight games.

“As far as me running and catching, I feel like that’s some of the best aspects of my game,” Norwood said. “So far it’s been great.”

Turner gets a kick seeing Norwood line up all over the field.

“We want to get our weapons on the field,” Turner said. “We are just trying to find ways to get him on the field and get him the football.”

Said quarterback Matt Ryan, “That’s a credit to his athletic ability and how smart he is. He learns a ton of different positions. He works so hard during the course of the week that it allows him to go out there on Sunday and line up as a wide receiver, line up in the backfield, do some different things.”

When Norwood flanked out to the right at wide receiver, he went on a pass route. Ryan threw deep, but Norwood broke the route early.

It was a communication breakdown, one of the details Norwood is still working to perect. But he said there isn’t a different mind-set at wide receiver.

“Beat the guy that I’m matched up against and just win,” he said.

When Norwood was at quarterback in the shotgun formation, Ryan went in motion to his right. It was a running play to the other side.

Might Norwood throw the ball from the quarterback position at some point?

“Hopefully we will down the road,” Norwood said. “I don’t want to say anything right now. I don’t want to give any tips away.”

For now, the team doesn’t have a name for the formation when Norwood switches to quarterback.

“We use —- like last week we played Oakland —- we called it Oakland,” Norwood said. “Just Oakland.”

The Falcons are playing New Orleans this week, but Norwood wouldn’t confirm the formation’s name. He didn’t want to give away any of Mularkey’s secrets.

“He really has some creative plays,” Ryan said. “We always have something new each week. The biggest thing is that we’ve had success with those plays. He’s draws them up well and calls them at the right time.”

NEXT FOR FALCONS

> Who: vs. Saints

> When: 1 p.m. Sunday

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