CHARLOTTE – Jason Snelling, you’re a third-year running back in the NFL, but in your first season you spent more than half of the games on the practice squad.
In year two, you became an excellent special teams player and got to carry the ball 15 times.
In year three, you have continued to develop offensively and have provided valuable contributions when others were injured. After missing the previous two games with a hamstring injury, you find yourself the Atlanta Falcons featured back in the second quarter of a key Week 10 NFC South game -- on the road -- with the Carolina Panthers.
Welcome to the NFL.
That pretty much sums up the events in Sunday’s 28-19 Falcons’ loss for Snelling, who did an able job in the second half while having to carry the load after Pro-Bowler Michael Turner left the game with an ankle sprain.
The 5-foot-11, 223-pound combo fullback/running back out of Virginia finished with 61 yards on 18 carries -- more carries in one game than he totaled in all of the 2007 or 2008 seasons -- and a touchdown.
He rushed for just 6 yards on four carries in the first half, but in the second ran for 55 yards on 14 carries for a very respectable 3.9-yards-per-carry average. He also caught 3 passes for 32 yards and was stopped short on a reception on a two-point conversion try.
The Falcons running game was in high gear all day, with the offensive line mashing holes that led to a season-high 176 rushing yards.
“Michael ran the ball extremely well with 100-plus yards,” Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith. “I think Jason Snelling came in and did a nice job running the ball, as well. We don’t have the explosiveness when Michael is out. Jason, in his first game back, ran well.”
Smith went on to compliment Snelling for running “hard.”
Snelling’s ascension derives from a variety of factors, not least of which is his own productivity. For the season, he has run for 183 yards on 37 carries (4.9 average) and has 132 yards receiving on 14 catches (9.4 average).
Snelling’s ascension also has to do with injuries.
In the NFL, opportunity always knocks as personnel losses are part of a season’s grind. No. 2 back Jerious Norwood has missed five games this season, including the last four with an ailing hip flexor.
Now, Turner, third in the ’08 MVP balloting, could be unavailable at least for Sunday’s game in New York against the Giants. Snelling has no qualms about taking over the lead role if called upon.
“Oh, yeah, that’s what I’m prepared for and I think that’s why I’m here,” he said. “We got a great offense and a great line and I’ll be prepared to go.”
Falcons right guard Harvey Dahl said the line has confidence in Snelling.
“We know he’s a workhorse,” he said. “He’s a guy that’s going to get it done and I enjoy blocking for him. He’s going to hit [the hole] hard and I think he really stepped up.”
He stepped it up from the first drive of the second half, as the Falcons cut into an 11-point Panthers’ lead with a 12-play drive that resulted in a field goal.
Snelling caught a pass for 8 yards and had runs of 1, 11, 9, 4 and 2 yards, giving him 35 of the team’s 74 yards on the drive.
The 4-yard run came in a “wildcat” formation in which Snelling received direct snap of the ball. In the past, Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey has praised Snelling for his ability to pick up plays without getting a large number of snaps in practice. Snelling did not practice the week of the Saints’ game on Nov. 2 and was limited in his participation for the last two weeks.
Perhaps if there is any positive to come out of the loss and Turner’s injury, it’s the knowledge that for the third consecutive week the Falcons’ running game -- whether it’s Turner or Snelling doing the running -- has been effective.
“They did a heck of a job,” Snelling said of the line. “Blocking from the point and downfield. I can’t ask for more from my linemen. I’m happy to run behind them.”
MORE FALCONS-PANTHERS GAME COVERAGE:
- GAMEDAY LIVE: Complete Falcons-Panthers coverage from AF.com
- GAME CENTER: Stats and more on the game from NFL.com
- GAME SIDEBAR: John Manasso looks at key moments from the game
- BEAT BLOG: Game updates and insight in The Beat Blog
- GAME NOTEBOOK: Notes from the Bank of America Stadium press box
- FIRST TAKE: Exclusive postgame interviews from AF.com
- MULTIMEDIA: More Falcons-Panthers game interviews and highlights
- QUOTABLE: Postgame thoughts from Falcons players | Panthers
- J. MIKE'S MISSIVES: Thoughts on the game from the managing editor
- INACTIVES: Falcons-Panthers game inactives and starters
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