Falcons’ Nate Carter shakes off emotional week, rumbles into the end zone

It was a tough week for Falcons running back Nathan Carter.

He was at the center of the play when Lions safety Morice Norris was injured last week. Replays showed that Norris’ facemask hit into the Carter’s knee, which lead to him being injured on the field and eventually taken to Grady Hospital as an ambulance came onto the field.

“It was tough,” said Carter, an undrafted rookie who played at Connecticut and Michigan State. “You never want that to happen. For me to be in that play, I’m grateful that the Lord answered our prayers. It’s an amazing time for us to be able to pray on that field and have the Lord answer our prayers.”

Carter was in contact with Norris last week. Norris returned to Detroit on Saturday and was placed in the league’s concussion protocol.

“I reached out to him and he’s doing well,” Carter said. “That gives me a lot of encouragement (with) the fact that he’s doing well and that he’s in high spirits. I’m glad that he’s all right.”

Carter reached out to Norris via social media.

“I contacted him on Instagram to send my condolences, my prayers to him, make sure that he was all right and well,” Carter said. “He eventually got back to me and we were able to chat a little bit.”

With his mind clear, Carter rushed nine times for 63 yards to power the Falcons’ rushing attack in the 23-20 loss to the Titans on Friday. He busted loose for a 43-yard touchdown run and he had a 24-yard run reduced to four yards because of a penalty.

After Carter’s touchdown, running back Bijan Robinson was the first to greet him on the sidelines.

“It’s huge,” Carter said. “Just not just for me, but for really the whole running back group for us to be able to put stuff like that on tape. We all work extremely hard.”

Robinson and Tyler Allgeier will not play in the exhibition season. That will gave Carter at shot to make the team or the practice squad.

“We have Bijan and Tyler, guys who I look up to,” Carter said. “Guys who come to practice every single day and work. That’s encouraging. When I scored that touchdown, the first (people) I saw (was them). That’s huge because I look up to them.”

The Falcons have six running backs in camp. They will likely carry three on the 53-man roster and may have room for two on the practice squad.

Carlos Washington Jr. was having a strong camp before he suffered a hamstring injury.

“I just try to take advantage of any opportunities that I have,” Carter said. “Los, he’s an amazing player. We’re hoping that he gets back healthy so that he can go out there and do what he needs to do. I’m excited to be in this position.”

Carter played 41 games over his collegiate career. He rushed 491 times for 2,280 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns.

He wrote a book titled, “If I’m No By Your Side” recently. It’s a faith-based book for the next generation.

“He plays with a fierce running style,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “It’s hard to get him down on the ground. He showed it a couple of times (Friday). He carries the ball … he runs really tough. He’s hard to tackle.”

The long runs helped the offense, which was struggling with penalties.

“It was great to see him break out today against another tough look,” Morris said. “He broke the line of scrimmage and was able to get down there and show his speed. He’s one of those young players fighting for a spot-on this roster.”

Morris believes the competition will go down the final exhibition game.

“He shows up every single week and shows us why he should be on it,” Morris said.