The Falcons ranked 29th in the league in rushing attempts last season, but center Alex Mack isn’t expecting more of the same this season.
Mack said that the team is integrating more outside zone runs into the plan for the coming season, which is something veterans “have a lot of experience” running from the days when Kyle Shanahan was running the offense. It’s something Mack believes the team is well suited for and can pay off in a more potent offensive attack this year.
“The better we can run that, the more it opens up the field, the more play-action opens up,” Mack said, via the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “Having that weapon really opens up the offense. I know it’s something that I’m excited about. I like hearing that because it means we get to run the ball more. It means we have more play-action passes. In general, it’s something that I do well. I think if we can get that going, we’ll have a very powerful offense.”
Any improvement in the running game is likely to require a return to form for Todd Gurley after a down 2019 season with the Rams. Assessing the likelihood of that is going to have to wait until everyone’s on the field and the Falcons get a clear idea about whether Gurley’s knee is up to the task.