Falcons running back Tevin Coleman, who suffered a hamstring strain against San Diego, was declared out of the big NFC showdown with the Green Bay Packers, which is set for 4:25 p.m. Sunday at the Georgia Dome.
“Injury-wise, Tevin will be out for the game,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said after practice on Friday.
Veteran defensive end Dwight Freeney, who has a quadriceps injury, will be a game-time decision.
“I’m still going to take it through (Saturday) with Dwight (Freeney) and take him through the walk-through,” Quinn said. “He’s made significanat improvement. I’ll take him through (Saturday) and maybe even take it into Sunday morning.”
With Coleman out, Devonta Freeman is in line to handle most of the work at running back with supporting roles for Terron Ward (just promoted from the practice squad). The Falcons also signed Stevan Ridley this week. Fullback Patrick DiMarco can play some running back in an emergency situation.
Freeman was the featured back in 2015, when he was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time. Freeman’s snaps are down significantly as compared with the first seven games of 2015, when he took most of the reps as Coleman worked through injuries.
The Falcons entered the season planning to use Freeman and Coleman in roughly equal measure. The players worked on their pass protection and receiving skills so that the Falcons could use the entire playbook, regardless of which back was on the field. When accounting for the time Coleman missed when he left Sunday’s game against the Chargers, it’s ended up being a pretty even split: Freeman’s 218 snaps to Coleman’s 185.
Freeman played 378 snaps through seven games in 2015 (Coleman missed four of those games because of injury). Theoretically Freeman should feel fresher than at this point last season, but he rejects that notion event though he was limited in practice on Wednesday with a hip injury and wore a black non-contact jersey on Wednesday and Thursday.
Freeman is a tough, shifty runner who makes would-be tacklers miss; Coleman’s speed makes him more of a breakaway threat both running and receiving.
The Falcons are set to face a top rush defense for the third time in five weeks. The Packers give up 71.8 yards rushing per game.
The Falcons gained 90 yards on 25 carries with a touchdown vs. Carolina (No. 3 in yards allowed per rush through Week 7) and 52 yards on 18 attempts with a touchdown at Seattle (No. 4).
The Packers rank No. 1 in the NFL in rushing yards per play and game.
The Falcons normally give Freeney a day off from practice each week to keep him fresh.
Freeney didn’t practice all week and was discussing his situation with Quinn after practice.
If Freeney can’t play, Quinn said Adrian Clayborn and Brooks Reed would fill Freeney’s role as an outside rusher on passing downs and in two-minute situations.
Freeney, 36, has played 193 snaps over seven games this season (27.5 per game) compared with 255 snaps over 11 games (23.2 per game) for the Cardinals in 2015. Freeney ranks second on the team with three sacks.
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