Jackson brings more flexibility to Falcons’ offense
For the past two seasons, the Falcons have ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in scoring and total offense, but the team has sputtered in the playoffs. The same explosive offense will take the field in 2013 with a few changes.
The offensive line needs a makeover, but quarterback Matt Ryan again has a plethora of weapons at his disposal.
For the past couple of seasons, the Falcons used Michael Turner as the power back, with Jacquizz Rodgers as the third-down back for pass plays.
Insert Steven Jackson, and the Falcons’ offense is set to become more explosive than ever.
“It’s not going to be a situation where a certain play is called based on which back is in the game with Steven,” coach Mike Smith said. “He gives coach (Dirk) Koetter and his staff a lot of flexibility.”
Ryan said Jackson helped raise the energy level during the team’s OTAs.
“Steven Jackson is a leader, he really is,” Ryan said. “He’s a guy that’s fun to play with and fun to work with. He’s a guy that really cares.”
The Falcons signed the 29-year-old to a three-year deal this offseason after Jackson expressed interest in joining a contender. Jackson will be 30 next month, but his teammates and coaches say he still has a young man’s body. Everyone also respects his football IQ.
“Everyday he’s getting a little more comfortable,” Ryan said. “For him, it’s taking a little bit of time to get adjusted, but when he knows what he is doing, he’s a really, really good player. He’s really smart, too. He’s picked up a lot of stuff really quick, and he’s been dedicated.
“He’s one of the few guys that has called me when he’s not here to pick my brain on certain things that we’re doing, and I think that says a lot about him.”
Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said Jackson will make the entire offense better.
“The once nice thing about Steven is that he’s such a good all-around player, run game, pass game and protection,” Koetter said. “He’s done it all in his career. He’s been a pleasure to work with so far. I think it’s great that he’s here. I think he’ll really complement our other players well.”
Jackson spent nine seasons as the best player on mostly bad St. Louis Rams teams. For many years, he was the team’s only offensive threat, but continued to put up stellar numbers. He rushed for at least 1,000 yards in eight of his nine seasons with the Rams, gaining 673 yards during his rookie campaign.
Jackson has amassed 10,135 yards and 56 touchdowns on the ground on 2,395 touches. He also has caught 407 passes for 3,324 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. His best season came in 2006, when he gained 2,334 total yards and scored 16 touchdowns overall. But Jackson knew he couldn’t do it by himself.
“Sometimes when you are the main focal point of the offense, you tend to draw a lot of attention and become one-dimensional,” Jackson said. “Where this offense allows for so many playmakers, and the playbook should be wide open. It acts and allows the running backs to not only get three or four yards and a cloud of dust to continue to move the chains, but also explosive plays down the field.”
With Ryan able to toss it all over the field to targets Julio Jones, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez, opponents won’t be able to key on Jackson. Still, there is a learning curve for any new player in a complex system such as the Falcons’, but Jackson is up for the challenge.
“I have to continue to work at my craft, continue to create mismatches running the ball, continue being explosive and run with passion,” Jackson said. “Each game, each scheme will present different challenges. Some teams might be very heavy against the run, where we can definitely take advantage of the outside, and then vice versa, so we always have to be on point.”
More Stories
The Latest
