FLOWERY BRANCH -- Falcons running back Michael Turner has led the league in carries in two of the past three seasons. He's ready to carry another heavy load.

Here’s a brief Q&A with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Chris Vivlamore:

Q. How bad do you hurt after a season?

A. Really my first year starting, that's when I was like, 'Oh, my God,' because I hadn't done it in so long. After that, I got my groove back and I've been fine ever since.

Q. How long did you dwell on the playoff loss to the Packers?

A: The lockout made me think about it even longer. We didn't have the OTAs [organized team activities] to get back around the guys and really try to put that behind you. The last image of football was Green Bay winning the championship and them beating us in the Dome when we had home-field advantage. Nothing is promised. You still have to put the work in.

Q. What drives you on the field?

A. Mainly, it's to win. To be a champion. I've never won a championship in anything. That's my driving force, to try to be great and leave my mark on this game once it's all over with.

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