News » Veteraan point guard Steve

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. Mike McGlinchey Super Bowl Jersey . -- Steven Jacksons latest hamstring injury is giving Jacquizz Rodgers, Devonta Freeman and Antone Smith a chance to fill the void at running back for the Atlanta Falcons. Its a tough assignment considering how far the run game has fallen, dropping from 17th in 2011 to 29th in 2012 to worst in the NFL last season. Jackson, the NFLs active career leading rusher, missed four games with a left hamstring injury and finished his first year as a Falcon with 543 yards rushing and 3.5 per carry -- the lowest numbers of his 10-season tenure. For the past several days, Jackson has been nursing a right hamstring injury, putting his three backups in competition for snaps. Rodgers and Freeman are splitting work with the starters while Smith is working with the second and third teams. Theres no immediate timetable for Jacksons return, but Rodgers says the team is prepared to move on regardless. "In this league, youve got to always be ready," Rodgers said Saturday. "Youve got to practice like youre ready to play in a game and when your time comes, youve got to prove what youve got." Over the past three years, the Falcons used the 5-foot-6, 188-pound Rodgers as a change-of-pace option to veteran power backs such as Jackson and Michael Turner. Rodgers will have the first chance to claim the starting job until Jackson is ready to return, but coach Mike Smith likes the punch that Freeman, who last season helped Florida State win the national championship, brings to the offence. Another step in Freemans growth will come Monday and Tuesday when Atlanta hosts the Tennessee Titans for joint practices. "Theyll present some different rushes and some different blitzes, but hes on a fast track to help us," Mike Smith said. "We know what he can do with the ball in his hands. In this league, youve got to be able to protect the quarterback, and the running backs are an integral part of that." The Falcons struggled in keeping Matt Ryan clean last year as the former Pro Bowl quarterback suffered a career-high 44 sacks and was pressured 203 times, most in the NFL. Antone Smith is hoping to earn snaps with the first-team offence, but he acknowledges the need to improve his blocking skills. The team already knows what he can do on special teams as Smith spent his first four years mostly working on punt and kickoff returns and coverages. Blocking in the backfield, however, has been harder to master. "Thats always been an issue for me," Antone Smith said. "Every game you have to calibrate that pass protection, and you want to be an artist at that. Everybody can run the ball. If you cant run the ball, you wouldnt be here." Coming off a 4-12 season, the Falcons cant return to respectability with a one-dimensional offence that last season averaged 20.1 run attempts per game, lowest in the league, while leading the NFC and ranking second overall with 42.2 pass attempts. Freeman hopes to help lighten the load on Ryan and his receivers and give the rushing attack some traction. "I feel like nobody can stop me but me, and when the opportunity is there, you have to seize the moment every time," Freeman said. "I feel like I was going to eventually get to this point where the coaches throw me in the fire. It happened to be during camp, so I can get reps now. When live action comes in the games, I can try to be good at everything." Notes: FS Kemal Ishmael, a seventh-round pick last year from Central Florida, began training camp with the third-team defence, but hes now working with the starters as Dwight Lowery and rookie Dez Southward nurse injuries. Lowery left Fridays scrimmage after hitting his head. Southward, a third-round draft pick from Wisconsin, hurt his knee earlier this week. Neither has an immediate timetable to return. Marquise Goodwin Super Bowl Jersey . Follow all the action live on TSN Radio 1050 in Toronto, TSN Radio 690 in Montreal, TSN Radio 1260 in Edmonton and TEAM 1410 on Friday at 3pm et/Noon pt. Ronnie Lott Super Bowl Jersey . -- David Ortiz saved his only hit for a key moment for the Boston Red Sox. http://www.thesf49ersshoponline.com/Youth-Frank-Gore-49ers-Jersey/ . The Red Wings hadnt played the night before. The Boston Bruins had. A month from now, or two months from now, it doesnt matter. But right now it does matter, when you start and you play back to back, its wear and tear on you for sure, Babcock said.The Los Angeles Lakers have confirmed that Kobe Bryant will have season-ending shoulder surgery on Wednesday. Bryant suffered a torn rotator cuff during the Los Angeles Lakers 96-80 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. The Lakers confirmed the procedure via Twitter on Monday. A 17-time All-Star, Bryant only appeared in six games in 2013-14 due to a left knee injury. In 35 games this season, Bryant has averaged 22.3 PPG to go along with 5.6 APG, 5.7 RPG and a career-low .373 FG%. The injury to the 36-year-old Bryant marks the third serious loss for the Lakers this season. Veteraan point guard Steve Nash was ruled out for the year a week before the season, which was to be his last in the NBA, started due to a lingering back injury. Jimmy Garoppolo Super Bowl Jersey. Then, during the Lakers season opener, rookie Julius Randle, the seventh-overall pick in last Junes NBA Draft, broke his right tibia, sidelining him for the rest of the season. Last week, Bryant was announced as a starter for the Western Conference for the NBA All-Star Game to be held in New York City on February 15. The Lakers, 12-33, are last in the Pacific Division and currently 13.5 games out of a playoff spot. ' ' '