Back when Falcons running back Steven Jackson was a big-time football prospect in Las Vegas, some college recruiters took a look at his powerful build and told him that perhaps he had a brighter future playing defensive end or linebacker.
“All the time,” Jackson said, laughing at the memory with the benefit of hindsight that includes 10,135 rushing yards and 56 touchdowns over nine NFL seasons.
Still, looking at Jackson now it’s hard to blame those coaches. Even then he didn’t look like the typical running back, and now, at age 30, he looks like he could play linebacker.
Jackson is listed at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds and up close appears even more imposing than those measurements. Those physical attributes are no surprise for one of the NFL’s better power backs.
But, just like those recruiters who could not see the possibilities, to call Jackson only a power back is to miss the bigger picture. During his career Jackson has put up receiving numbers associated more with smaller “scat back” types, success that coach Mike Smith attributes to Jackson’s field vision.
Since becoming a starter in 2005, Jackson has recorded at least 40 catches in all but two seasons (and he missed four games in one of those years, 2007) and has averaged 8.2 yards per catch.
“It’s always taking pride in being a franchise back, and to do that you have to be able to catch the ball out of the backfield,” Jackson said.
Those receiving skills could help the Falcons just as much as Jackson’s ability to move the pile for tough rushing yards. They need to improve their rushing game, which was among the worst in the league last season, but they also were the NFL’s best team on screen passes under first-year coordinator Dirk Koetter.
Many of quarterback Matt Ryan’s screen passes went to reserve running back Jacquizz Rodgers or to wide receivers because running back Michael Turner wasn’t effective at catching passes. If all goes according to plan for the Falcons, Jackson will be a more effective runner than Turner and also help them in the passing game.
As a bonus, Jackson’s versatility means Koetter won’t have to tip his hand to possible passing plays with substitutions.
“He will allow us to keep the same personnel and not have to necessarily put a change-of-pace back in,” Smith said.
Even during training camp, when there’s no real tackling and players are in shorts most practice days, Jackson has flashed his ability as a receiver.
He’s fluid catching the ball out of the backfield with smooth and quick transitions between securing the ball, turning up field and accelerating. Last season Turner often needed to gather himself after catching, survey the field and then gather steam — deliberate movements that gave defenders extra time to diagnose screens before blockers were set.
“Steven is a powerful runner, physical guy, which is going to bode well for what we want to do,” Ryan said. “But he’s also got a very good skill set catching the football and has a great feel in the screen game. And that’s what screens boil down to: It’s a feel type of play. He’s got to feel the blocks in front of him without really seeing it.
“From what I’ve seen early on, he has a very good feel with that.”
Screen passes became a staple under Koetter. He used a variety of formations, personnel groupings and blocking patterns to disguise them and had Ryan throw to several different running backs and wide receivers — and even to tight end Tony Gonzalez.
The results were excellent: Ryan finished the season with 62 completions on 69 screen passes for 495 yards and six touchdowns. That’s 7.2 yards per play and a touchdown every 11.5 screen plays.
Adding Jackson to the backfield should help the Falcons do more of the same.
“This team is pretty dynamic when it came to throwing screens and taking advantage of defenses being overly aggressive,” Jackson said. “We have a number of playmakers on this team. Wherever I can fit in the package — if it’s being a decoy, if it’s catching a screen down the field — I’ve just got to learn each and every position.”
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