Duckett's Gone

[Selly]

Duckett to undergo surgery

 

Glad I've held onto Warrick, maybe now he'll get a TD.

[spain]

Who is the backup to Warrick Dunn?

[Gunther]

Who is the backup to Warrick Dunn?

 

611259[/snapback]

 

 

 

 

Here is a copy/paste of Selly's link:

ATLANTA -- For the second day in a row the Atlanta Falcons backfield, and the NFL's top-rated running offense, has suffered a setback.

 

T.J. Duckett

Running Back

Atlanta Falcons 

 

2004 SEASON STATISTICS

Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD

96 457 8 2 4 0

 

Backup tailback T.J. Duckett, who in Sunday's victory over the Oakland Raiders scored four touchdowns on just 12 carries, will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery on his left knee to clean out debris. The surgery, scheduled for Tuesday, is expected to sideline Duckett for at least two weeks.

 

Depending on his rehabilitation, Duckett could miss the balance of the regular season but is expected back for the playoffs. The Falcons already have secured a postseason berth, as they clinched the NFC South title with Sunday's victory.

 

The loss of Duckett comes the day after coach Jim Mora confirmed that starting fullback Justin Griffith will miss the rest of the season with a broken left ankle he sustained in the fourth quarter of the victory against the Raiders. Griffith, who was leading the fan balloting at fullback for the NFC Pro Bowl squad, will be placed on the injured reserve list.

 

With both Duckett and Griffith injured, Atlanta is down to two healthy running backs: starting tailback Warrick Dunn and backup fullback Stanley Pritchett. The latter is slated to replace Griffith in the starting lineup.

 

The Falcons have two rookie running backs, Quincy Wilson and Jason Wright, on their practice squad. The team, however, signed free agent fullback Fred McCrary on Tuesday and could also add a veteran tailback.

 

Atlanta's first-round choice in the 2002 draft, Duckett has carried 96 times for 457 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Expected to challenge for the starting job in camp, he has instead become a change of pace and short-yardage runner, as the Falcons' staff has done a nice job of splitting time between him and Dunn. Duckett is certainly the team's most powerful runner between the tackles and knows his way to the end zone, as manifested in his 23 career touchdown runs on 423 rushing attempts.

 

Last season, Duckett led the Falcons in rushing. The former Michigan State standout posted 779 yards and 11 touchdowns on 197 carries. Having Duckett as an accomplished No. 2 tailback has meant the Atlanta staff hasn't been forced to overwork smaller Dunn, who tends to physically erode with too many carries over the course of a season.

 

Thanks in part to the tailback combination, the scrambling of quarterback Michael Vick and a much-improved offensive line, the surprising Falcons lead the NFL in rushing yards.

 

Griffith, 23, had notched only nine carries for 39 yards in 12 games, 11 of them as a starter, but he was important to the Atlanta ground attack. The former Mississippi State star is a solid lead blocker, good on blitz pickups and a very good receiver. In essence, he is the prototype fit for the fullback position in a West Coast-style offense. In addition to his nine carries, Griffith had 22 receptions for 22 yards.

Edited December 15, 2004 by Gunther

[spain]

Who will be the man if Dunn gets injured now?

[Selly]

Probably Vick.

[Big Score 1]

Once Quincy Wilson gets called up from the Practice Squad, you'll know.

[devilwoman]

update - http://www.detnews.com/2004/lions/0412/15/e08-34151.htm

[devilwoman]

Olandis Gary is practicing at Atlanta...interesting.

[Big Score 1]

RB Jason Wright (Atl) has been signed by the team from their practice squad.

 

 

Strange. I really expected Quincy to be the one called up from the Practice Squad.

 

Here are his measurables:

 

22 years old, 5'10", 210 lbs, Rookie out of Northwestern

 

Signed with the Falcons on September 7, 2004....Originally signed by San Francisco as a rookie free agent on April 26, 2004...Waived by the 49ers on August 31, 2004.

 

Former receiver who moved to the backfield as a junior...Went on to produce two of the best rushing performances in school history...Only the third Northwestern player to record a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons...Head coach Randy Walker says "he may be the most complete running back I've ever coached"...Although he does not possess outstanding speed, he is quick-footed, athletic and has excellent field vision...Also can catch the ball out of the backfield and is a consistent blocker...A highly intelligent athlete, he is a two-time first-team Academic All-American...Closed out his career ranking fourth in school history with 2,625 yards and 32 touchdowns on 487 carries (5.4 avg.)...Added 577 yards and two scores on 54 receptions (10.7 avg.) and 828 yards with a touchdown on 31 kickoff returns (26.7 avg.)...His 210 points scored rank fourth on the school's career-record list and his 4,030 all-purpose yards rank third...Only player in school history to rush for four touchdowns in a game three times in a season (2003) and four times in a career.

 

www.atlantafalcons.com