Running back Steven Jackson, who signed this offseason to replace Michael Turner, has been a flop in four full games.
Jackson, 30, has shown flashes, but has had little success and is on the hot seat for the Tampa Bay game.
“It would sure help us if we could run the ball,” Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said. “We’d love to run the ball. It’s not just a simple matter of calling more runs. If you’re not moving the chains, it doesn’t matter how many runs you call.”
Jackson was held to 11 yards on nine carries last week against Seattle. He rushed for 70 yards against the Saints in his Falcons debut and ran for 57 yards against Carolina on Nov. 3.
After missing four games with a hamstring injury, Jackson was held to 6 yards on 11 carries in his return against Arizona on Oct. 27.
“Steven Jackson is a workhorse running back, and we haven’t been able to get him work,” Koetter said. “Steven is one of those guys who gets better the more he touches it. We are not running it successfully enough to get him enough carries.”
Some of Jackson’s woes can be traced to the Falcons’ revamped offensive line, which has struggled at the point of the attack and with cutting off backside defenders.
“Unfortunately, because we are not doing anything very successfully right now and we’re getting behind on the scoreboard, (running the ball) sometimes gets away from us,” Koetter said.
About the Author
