The Falcons look like they’ll get one of their injured running backs back on the field this week, but the jury’s still out on the one that they signed this offseason to be their top dog in the backfield.
Coach Mike Smith said Monday, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, that he had no update on whether or not Jackson would be able to practice this week. Jackson has missed the last three games with an injured hamstring and there was some hope that he’d be able to make it back before missing No. 4 thanks to the timing of the Falcons’ bye week.
Jackson wrote on his website at the end of September that he wanted to be sure he’s at 100 percent before resuming his season. If he doesn’t practice when the Falcons get back to work on Wednesday, it’s hard to imagine that he’ll be that healthy when the Buccaneers come calling on Sunday but we’ll see how things wind up playing out.
Smith did say that Jason Snelling is expected back at practice as he has progressed steadily through the league’s concussion protocol since suffering one against the Jets last Monday night. Snelling and Jacquizz Rodgers have been holding down the fort in the backfield since Jackson got hurt and may continue to do so if Jackson still isn’t ready to return to action.