Devonta Freeman: Falcons running back praised by coach Dan Quinn
Not many people were expecting Devonta Freeman to breakout the way he has the past two games. He has rushed 44 times for 209 yards and seven touchdowns in what was essentially seven quarters after being pulled off in the Falcons’ blowout win over the Texans.
While this has made some people around the NFL stand up and take notice, there is one man who is not surprised by his performances—head coach Dan Quinn.
"“I’m not surprised at all,” Quinn said. “The amount of grit and toughness that he plays with, he just loves to battle. I thought it was a real demonstration of his toughness, and all of the energy that he brings to our team.”"
It’s a credit to Freeman, who had to sit on the sideline and watch for much of 2014 as an out-of-favor rookie, and then started 2015 behind Tevin Coleman. After Freeman’s preseason was wiped out with a hamstring injury, Coleman was given the nod as the starter.
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But each time the second-year man entered the field, he ran hard like his career depended on it. The numbers weren’t there for him through two weeks, but you’ve got to look past the stat-lines sometimes. Freeman played physical and put everything into each carry he had.
And then it was Coleman’s time to be hit with the injury bug. An unfortunate fractured rib ended his game early against the Giants, and his absence has allowed Freeman to step in as the starter. This was the chance he’s been desperate for since being drafted in 2014. When the opportunity arose, the man from Baxley, Georgia wasn’t going to let it pass him by.
"“Chances do not come around often, so you just have to take advantage of them when you get them. I am just blessed to have to play in the NFL,” Freeman said."
Freeman is a three-down back for Atlanta; not only is he a threat on the ground, but also in the air when catching passes from Matt Ryan. He caught five passes for 81 yards against Houston, including a 44-yard strike.
"“Not only is he a good catcher, he can line up outside at receiver and run good routes, so he’s a really complete back in that way,” Quinn said.“It’s a real weapon for us. Knowing that we can have a chance to match him up on linebackers, and it’s something that we’re going to continue to do for sure. He’s just got this relentless ability to keep competing. It’s one of the things that I really most respect about him and his game.”"
The Falcons finally have a legitimate run game to complement an already-dominant aerial attack. Freeman has proven just how dangerous he can be, and Coleman flashed potential in the limited time he had on the field. It’s exciting to think what these two can produce together on the field through the season.
Unlike in Week 1, Freeman will be the lead back with the rookie taking the lower share of the carries. The way he’s playing, it’s hard to take the ball out of Freeman’s hands. Together, this ground game can dominate.
The scariest part? Freeman has only made two starts and Coleman has completed just one NFL game. With more games under the belt and time to establish rhythm and chemistry, this offense can be cary good.