Robinson injury creates playing time for Finneran

Flowery Branch — Falcons wide receiver Brian Finneran will play a more prominent role in the offense against Carolina on Sunday because Laurent Robinson has a left knee sprain and will not play.

Finneran, who missed the past two seasons with torn knee ligaments, has played mostly on special teams in the first three games and has not caught a pass this season.

“With Laurent down, all of us have to step up a little bit,” Finneran said. “I’ll have a few more opportunities, I hope. Get a chance to get in there and make a few more plays, I hope.”

Finneran’s last catch came in a 44-11 loss to Carolina in the last game of the 2005 season. That season, Finneran caught 50 passes and was a reliable third-down target as the team’s third receiver.

He has not been worried about not receiving much action in the first three games of this season.

“Obviously you’d like to get your number called,” Finneran said. “But we’ve been doing some things at our position. We’ve got guys making plays down the field. When they call my number, I need to go in there and make plays.”

Finneran has been on all of the special-teams units.

Foster gone, replaced by Stewart

Running back DeShaun Foster left the Panthers to sign with San Francisco in the offseason, but with Carolina, Foster saved his best games for the Falcons. Of his seven career 100-yard rushing games, four of them came against the Falcons. In 2005, he rushed for 131 and 165 yards against them.

This season, he was replaced by Jonathan Stewart, the 13th overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft from Oregon.

“He runs pretty good,” defensive tackle Grady Jackson said of Stewart. “It’s our job up front to try to slow him down a little bit.”

Jackson will face Panthers’ guard Travelle Wharton, a former left tackle.

“I’ll have a chance to line up on all three of them,” Jackson said. “It doesn’t matter who’s there, you just have to line up and play.”

Vikings put pressure on Delhomme

Minnesota was able to sack Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme five times while defeating the Panthers 20-10 on Sunday.

“It’s important every week that you at least affect the quarterback,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “What I mean by affecting the quarterback is not letting him be comfortable in the pocket and having extra time. We want to make sure that we affect him when he’s going back and dropping back for passes.”

Injury update

Left tackle Sam Baker did not participate in practice Friday and was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game because of an illness.

Panthers’ Harris forces fumbles

In victories over San Diego and Chicago, the Panthers have had some timely turnovers.

Against the Chargers, safety Chris Harris forced a fumble that Chris Gamble returned 31 yards for a touchdown.

Against the Bears, Harris forced another fumble that was recovered by Gamble. Harris has 10 forced fumbles in 17 games with the Panthers.

“They’ve done a nice job of taking the ball away,” Smith said. We want to make sure that we secure the football and attack the defense.”