Falcons running back Michael Turner ambled slowly (if it’s possible to amble slowly) to his locker for post game interviews after most of his teammates had left the building. The Falcons had just beat divisional rival Carolina 31-17, and surely Turner’s teammates were rushing away to enjoy a nice meal and a beautiful Atlanta fall evening.
Turner, though, didn’t appear eager to do any more rushing Sunday. He had done plenty of rushing already on the FieldTurf carpet about 100 yards away from where he was standing after getting dressed in the Georgia Dome. On the afternoon, Turner bulldozed and grinded out 139 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries.
Turner punished linebackers on runs up the middle and simply trampled anyone in his way when he broke loose near the sidelines. Speaking about the Carolina defense, he replied “They usually don’t like to tackle me for a whole game.” Then, he quietly savored what he had just said for a second, smiled and then broke into something between a giggle and a chuckle. He quickly realized that he had just slightly disrespected his opponents seemed to enjoy the honesty, and the accuracy of his words.
Atlanta needed all those yards and time they took off the game clock from Turner. In the first half, Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton was moving the ball at will against the Falcons. (Carolina converted 4 of 5 third downs in the first half and never faced a punting situation). On the first series after halftime, they took the lead (17-14) with a methodical eight and a half minute touchdown drive .
Two possessions later, Falcons head coach Mike Smith put the ball and the game in literally the hands of his punishing Pro Bowl running back. On the Falcons’ last three drives, Turner would carry the ball on 17 of the team’s 25 final offensive plays. Even on two of the plays when he didn’t run the ball, Turner was the target of short passes by quarterback Matt Ryan.
Turner finally put the Panthers back on the bus with his final carry of the day, a 2-yard touchdown in and through the line of scrimmage. Smith commented after the game, “We’re going to do whatever we have to [do] to score one more point than our opponent. Today, it was running Michael Turner, and getting Michael Turner going in the run game.”
With Atlanta’s record coming into the game being 2-3, this home game against a divisional rival was a pitch perfect coach-speak cliche, “A must win.” The falcons needed a win and got one. Michael Turner carried the ball, the “groceries” and the Falcons team to victory. After he was dressed, he simply savored the moment for a while in the near empty locker room. Who could blame him?
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