Falcons looking for answers for rushing attack

By D. Orlando Ledbetter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

FLOWERY BRANCH -- The Falcons' success over the course of the season might turn on whether they are able to re-discover their once potent rushing attack.

After finishing second in rushing in the NFL last season, averaging 152.7 yards per game, the Falcons currently are 19th at 102.9 yards per game.

"With the success of the run game, we've been studied," Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey said. "We've played 3-4 teams, and 3-4 teams are designed to stop the run. That's the history of it."

The Falcons have played four teams that used 3-4 fronts -- Miami, San Francisco, New England and Dallas. Over the final 10 games of the season, starting with Monday night's NFC South showdown with the New Orleans Saints, they will see only one more 3-4 team, the New York Jets.

Against the 3-4, most teams struggle to control the hybrid defensive end/outside linebackers.

"You have an extra body in there to try to get the offense maybe running sideways," Mularkey said. "Instead of maybe having a natural crease in there, they are trying to make plays bounce. They've done a good job of that."

Running back Michael Turner has only one 100-yard rushing game this season, against Carolina, a 4-3 team.

After six games last season, Turner had three 100-yard games, including 220 yards against Detroit in his debut with the Falcons.

Turner has been slowed, and injuries in the backfield to fullback Ovie Mughelli (calf) and Jerious Norwood (right hip flexor) have hampered the rushing attack.

"They are trying to reduce your run game into a square box basically," Mularkey said. "We cannot allow that to happen. Whether if it's the design of the scheme or forcing some natural creases to happen based on backfield actions, that's what we are doing."

Running back Jason Snelling's role could increase in the coming weeks. He stepped into Mughelli's fullback spot and added a spark to the attack after Mughelli was injured in the San Francisco game.

"[Snelling] stepped in there at San Francisco, and it wasn't like we couldn't call this play or that play," Mularkey said. "We called the same plays. Did he run them all [correctly]? No, because he didn't practice them, but he ran them well enough in that game."

Snelling had a 31-yard run against Dallas and is a good pass receiver out of the backfield.

The Falcons added running back Aaron Stecker on Tuesday to provide some depth.

Stecker, 5-foot-10, 213 pounds, is a nine-year NFL veteran who has played with Tampa Bay (2000-03) and New Orleans (2004-07).

In 120 career games (16 starts), the Western Illinois graduate has 381 carries for 1,511 yards and eight touchdowns. He also has 161 receptions for 1,141 yards and three touchdowns and 167 kickoff returns for 3,880 yards and one touchdown.

As a member of the Buccaneers in 2002, Stecker was the team's main kickoff returner and had 37 returns for 934 yards, helping them win Super Bowl XXXVII.

He ended last season on New Orleans' injured-reserve list with a torn hamstring.

"I thought I had a chance to go back there," Stecker said. "Then they decided to go in a different direction. I've been working out for different teams here and there, waiting for the opportunity to get back in [the league]."

Stecker worked out for the Falcons last week, but the team elected to sign running back Antone Smith to the practice squad.

"I just happened that they signed me this week, and I get to go play on Monday night against the Saints after I played there for five years," Stecker said.