Atlanta’s running game: Dunn or done?

By Darrell Laurant  |   Wednesday, July 25, 2007  |  Comments( 3 )

Atlanta Falcons
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This has probably been one of the worst weeks in the history of the Atlanta Falcons' franchise, as both Michael Vick and Warrick Dunn were told to miss fall practice.

Vick was told by the NFL, a reaction to his alleged involvement in illegal dogfighting. Dunn was told by his body.

The veteran running back said he had experienced some "discomfort" in his back and legs during OTAs in the spring, and it lingered. So this week, he had what was described as minor back surgery to correct the problem.

"The doctors told me the discomfort would have continued throughout the season, had we not had the surgery," Dunn explained in a statement to the media. "I plan to come back stronger than ever."

The Falcons led the NFL in rushing last season, thanks largely to Dunn's 1,140 ground yards and Vick's 1,039. Now, it's Atlanta coach Bobby Petrino who has the discomfort.

Dunn and the team say he could very well be back for the opening game with the Vikings. But the lack of contact work in the meantime could put him behind, leaving the running back position up to second-year man Jerious Norwood (633 yards on the ground, a 6.4 average last season) and a lineup of suspects.

Jason Snelling, out of Virginia, is more of a plugger than a dancer. At 5-foot-11, 232 pounds, he was stopped behind the line only 15 times in college in 235 carries. Justin Vincent, another rookie, had his moments at LSU, coming up big in a couple of SEC championship games, but he has a history of injuries.

Otherwise, the Falcons are looking at Sha Ron Edwards out of NFL Europe; former Texas Tech star Taurean Henderson, off the Atlanta practice squad, and veteran Jamal Robertson, a career special teams player for the 49ers, Panthers and Falcons.

Without Dunn, the running game could be done.

And Warrick Dunn isn't just another productive back. He's durable (or was durable) enough to power inside, slippery in the open field, and a legitimate target for Vick -- err, Joey Harrington.

On the bright side, there is every reason to believe that Norwood will continue to improve. He's not a pony back at 5-11, 204, but he runs like one (4.3 in the 40). His first two touchdown runs as a rookie covered 69 and 78 yards, and his 6.4 yards per carry average was second in the league behind Vick. Perhaps the most interesting stat was that 434 of Norwood's 633 yards came in the fourth quarter, also second in the league.

If Dunn doesn't bounce back quickly, however, Norwood will no longer be able to breeze through tired defenses off the bench -- he'll be in the lineup from the get-go.

Asked as fall practice opened whether he now regretted leaving the University of Louisville for what might be a sinking ship, Petrino replied, "I'm looking forward to the challenge."

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CommentsComments: 3  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
fr8ttrain		09:29 AM
07/26/2007
My vote for the Falcons is: DONE. Vick will never wear an Atlanta uniform again, Dunn is on the darkside of his career, Petrino ...
No.2
VJD		07:41 PM
07/27/2007
Too bad for Petrino. I think the only reason they aren't interested in Culpepper is that having both Dolphins QBs from last year ...
No.3
Jennifer		04:08 PM
11/22/2007
Gear up for grub with a tripleheader of pigskin, including a meeting of brothers in Dallas. Everybody knows it's been a rough ...
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