The Atlanta Falcons need some momentum. After winning five straight to begin the season, the team entered the bye week having lost three of their last four while the offense has been stalling out more than not. Returning to practice after a week off, the Falcons got the return of a number of players as Leonard Hankerson and Devin Hester make their way back to play in Week 11.
According to ESPN's Vaughn McClure, Hester and Hankerson along with defensive stars like William Moore and Justin Durant were all back on the field with the game against the Indianapolis Colts on the horizon. Hester has yet to play this season as the receiver/kick returner landed on injured reserve with a toe injury. Hester is not eligible to play for another two weeks which means Eric Weems will continue to carry the special teams. The Falcons hope to be in contention when they get Hester back on the field.
The return of Hankerson could be the biggest get for the Falcons in Week 11. The wide receiver had developed into Matt Ryan's second favorite target outside of Julio Jones and the hamstring injury had certainly played a role in the stalling of the offense. With Hankerson back, Justin Hardy is expected to be a healthy scratch while Roddy White looks to get more involved in the second half of the season. The veteran has been vocal about his lack of targets and catches this year, but he made it clear he is aiming to be a leader regardless of his numbers.
"I always feel like I'm an important part of this team," White said, via ESPN.com. "Being a leader on this team and being in this organization for this is my 11th year, it's just certain parts of the season that we need guys to lean on. This is one of those times where I've got to go out there and just be a leader for this team and this organization and settle everything down. We had a couple of rough weeks leading up into the bye. It's time to turn it around and get focused and get all the details in -- start playing good football."
According to head coach Dan Quinn, White is a big part of the Falcons as they need his leadership on the field. Quinn told the media they try and get White as many targets as they can while he stressed the receiver is very important to the franchise. Heading into Week 11, White will be critical as Matt Ryan needs to improve after a few disastrous games. White along with Jacob Tamme, Hankerson and Williams will help take pressure off the quarterback while Jones leads the pack. The Falcons have a chance to steal a win as Andrew Luck sits out for the Colts. An improved game could set them back on track.
