The Falcons obviously need to run better.
But it might also help if they got together to get their stories straight as to why they’re not running better.
After center Todd McClure said he didn’t want the line taking all the blame for the recent problems, offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter responded that running back Michael Turner “didn’t have a chance” on many of his runs against the Saints.
Now, Turner, the man whose name is next to those 15 yards on 13 carries, said he agreed with the coach.
“That’s what I’m saying,” Turner said, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “Sometimes defenses are going to have good schemes against us and be able to get good penetration and things like that. It’s just something we have to handle and run different types of plays sometimes and just clean it up.”
Turner’s averaging 3.8 yards per carry this year, and appears to have lost his old burst, leading to more games like the loss to the Saints than he’s used to.
“Everybody’s going to nitpick,” Turner said. “We’re a different team this year, obviously with philosophies and things like that, but I mean we’re 8-1. That’s the bottom line; to get Ws.
“We’re not worried about it. Of course we want to get better and improve in all areas we need to improve in and just maintain the things we’re doing great. We’ve just got to keep going, keep grinding.”
But he said part of the problem is getting used to a new way of doing business, as the team has gone from featuring him to building around quarterback Matt Ryan and an array of big-play receiving targets.
“Oh yeah, it was talked about,” Turner said. “It’s been talked about for years, but this year it’s finally showing. But there is nothing that I can do really.
“Everything is revolving around the quarterback and we have a great one and he’s striving to be elite. You have to let him do his thing.”
Considering the fact Ryan’s doing his thing more efficiently than Turner’s doing his these days, that was a good decision on behalf of the Falcons.