Falcons’ RB Freeman powers unbeaten Atlanta over the Houston Texans.
Atlanta 4-0 after routing stumbling Houston
FALCONS 48, TEXANS 21
ATLANTA — Devonta Freeman just wanted a chance.
Now he’s taking advantage of it.
Dazzling as both a runner and a receiver, Freeman had another threetouchdown game for the Atlanta Falcons, who remained unbeaten with a 48-21 rout of the Houston Texans on Sunday.
“Opportunity is everything,” the second-year running back said.
Taking over as the starter after rookie Tevin Coleman sustained a rib injury in Week 2, Freeman has six TDs in the past two games and an NFL-leading seven for the season.
Against the Texans, he scored on runs of 16, 23 and 6 yards, and he set up another touchdown with a 44-yard reception.
Freeman played sparingly as a rookie and missed all four preseason games with a hamstring injury. Coleman got the starting job, and Freeman remained a backup — until now.
According to STATS, he is the first player younger than 24 to have back-toback games with at least three rushing touchdowns since Jim Brown in 1958. Also, Freeman is the first player since at least 1991 to score six TDs in his first two career starts.
“I’ve always believed in myself,” he said. “But it’s hard to get a feel when you’re not playing. I have to get in a rhythm, and then the confidence comes.”
The Falcons are 4-0 for only the fourth time. They won each of their first three games under new coach Dan Quinn by rallying from fourth-quarter deficits, but this one was over much sooner.
Nothing went right for the Texans (1-3). Quarterback Ryan Mallett had an awful day and was replaced by Brian Hoyer after the Falcons built a 42-0 lead.
Running back Arian Foster made his season debut after tearing his groin early in training camp, but he couldn’t find any room to run. He had the ball knocked out of his hands by one of his own teammates, leading to a Falcons touchdown.
Freeman rushed for 68 yards on 14 carries and caught five passes for 81 yards. It didn’t even matter that Julio Jones was finally held in check, catching only four passes for 38 yards.
Leonard Hankerson was Matt Ryan’s favorite target with six catches for 103 yards, including a touchdown.
Ryan was 19 of 27 for 256 yards.
Mallett’s second pass was deflected and picked off by defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux, with the Falcons taking over at their 46. Freeman took a short pass 24 yards, then darted through a huge hole on the next play for his first TD. The rout was on. “We’ve got to run the ball, throw the ball, catch the ball,” said Mallett, who threw numerous passes behind his intended receivers. “Every phase of the game, we’ve got to do better.”