WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Notes, Quotes

The Sports Xchange

October 04, 2018 at 1:09 am.

–There’s a chance that All-Pro running back Devonta Freeman could return this week from a knee contusion suffered in the season opener against Philadelphia. Freeman could add a little pizzazz to the Atlanta running game.

The Falcons ran 24 times for 92 yards against the Bengals last week. Tevin Coleman rushed 14 times for 51 yards and Ito Smith carried seven times for 35 yards. The long run of the day was a 9-yarder by Coleman.

“I think the guys we’re hopeful to get back would be Devonta,” head coach Dan Quinn said. “Because of the work Devonta did in practice last week, we’re very hopeful.”

Freeman has six carries for 46 yards and three receptions for 14 yards this season. He rushed for 865 yards in 2017 and missed two games. He surpassed 1,000 yards in 2015 and 2016.

The Falcons rank 21st in rushing.

–An area of concern for the Falcons has been penalties, which have come too often and at the most inopportune moments. They were flagged for pass interference and defensive holding during crucial times last week against Cincinnati.

In their three losses, the Falcons have incurred a total of 30 penalties for 284 yards. They drew only two penalties for 26 yards in the victory over Carolina.

“I think we ended up with 10 overall and I believe at least four or five of those were pre-snap,” Quinn said. “No. 1, those are things you can control with your focus and disciple.”

There are penalties that stem from physical mistakes, too.

Quinn said, “How do we not get the foul where it’s a grab – just an aggressive play that could have gone either way. It was bang-bang, those are the ones you mark up.”

BY THE NUMBERS: 3 – Consecutive games in which rookie receiver Calvin Ridley has caught a touchdown pass. No other receiver has done it since Julio Jones in 2014.

12 — Through four games the Falcons have produced 18 red-zone drives and scored on 15, tied for the fourth-best total in the NFL. Of the 15, 12 resulted in touchdowns, the third-most.

–0 — The Falcons are one of six teams who have not allowed their opponent to score on the opening drive of the second half.