After another game in which he was a small part of the game plan, Falcons wide receiver Roddy White said he wants more chances to make plays.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan targeted White just two times on 30 pass attempts during the 17-16 loss to the 49ers on Sunday. White had one catch for 20 yards.
“I would like to be more involved in the offense but it is what it is,” White said. “I’m going to go out there and run the plays that are called and block as hard as I can and help my team win.”
White, 34, is the franchise leader in catches, yards and touchdown receptions but his role has diminished with first-year Falcons coordinator Kyle Shanahan. The Falcons have focused on throwing to wide receiver Julio Jones and tight end Jacob Tamme and running the ball with Devonta Freeman.
For the season White has 16 catches on 28 targets for 210 yards and one touchdown. Four of those catches and eight of the targets came during the Week 1 victory against the Eagles. White ranks fifth on the team in targets behind Jones (103), Freeman (52), Tamme (44) and Leonard Hankerson (38), who has missed four games because of injury.
White expressed frustration with his limited role in the offense after the Week 4 victory over the Texans. Falcons coach Dan Quinn and Shanahan met with White that week to assure him that his opportunities would eventually come but he’s been targeted just 17 times in the five games since.
White said he still believes he will get more chances at some point.
“I feel like they will come eventually,” White said. “It’s a long season, man. We’ve got seven more games. Things could turn around instantly from week to week. I’m very optimistic that it will and I will continue to go at it and work as hard as I can.”
