WANTED & UNWANTED » . “He had an unfortunate situatio

FLOWERY BRANCH Connor McGovern Jersey , Ga. (AP) — Coach Dan Quinn is not quite ready to look at rebuilding the Atlanta Falcons‘ running game for next year.He’s more concerned with stopping a five-game losing streak that derailed the season and dropped the Falcons (4-9) to the bottom of the NFC South.But heading into Sunday’s game against Arizona (3-10), there’s no escaping how poorly the Falcons have run the ball. With top back Devonta Freeman injured most of the year and both starting guards on season-ending injured reserve, Atlanta is averaging 81.2 yards per game — last in the NFL.What’s worse is the Falcons have little depth as they face a difficult task to find three starters in the offseason. With a high pick, they could draft a starting lineman and maybe sign another in free agency, but the backfield situation appears to be a mess.“I recognize the question that we’re not meeting the mark on that one, but I think it’s unfair to talk about which player is here or not here and those things,” Quinn said Thursday. “We’re really just focused on this game and this matchup.”Atlanta made Freeman the league’s highest paid running back before the 2017 season Foster Moreau Jersey , and he’s missed 13 games over the last two years with head, knee and groin injuries.The Falcons hoped that Tevin Coleman would fill the void, but he only has 559 yards as the team’s leading rusher. Rookie Ito Smith, the next man up, has averaged 3.5 yards on 81 attempts.Center Alex Mack, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, has found it difficult to build much consistency on the line. He and left tackle Jake Matthews have been the only starters for every game. Five players have started at the guard spots Anthony Nelson Jersey , and Ty Sambrailo replaced Ryan Schraeder at right tackle in last week’s lopsided loss at Green Bay.“It’s definitely not a point in your favor, but it’s not insurmountable,” Mack said. “We’ve had injuries in the past, and guys have done a really good job of stepping up and performing really well. It is more difficult when that happens and when games are tight and you get behind. You don’t have the luxury of trying to establish the run. You’re going to pass the ball more.”Quarterback Matt Ryan, the 2016 NFL MVP, leads a passing attack that ranks fourth, but Atlanta is so one-dimensional that opponents know what’s coming and can tee off on the 11-year veteran. Ryan is on track to get sacked a career-high 46 times.A vacant run game is the reason why Ryan is being routinely pounded. Even though the Falcons had 124 yards rushing last week Jeffery Simmons Jersey , it hardly felt like much of an achievement.“It’s a big part of what we do and such a big part of our identity that goes with it from the toughness standpoint, the toughness that we like,” Quinn said. “When that’s not aligned right, you feel like our compass is a little off. We’re going to work like crazy to get that thing back to north like we like because without the strong run game, it feels like that part is off.”Freeman is eligible to return this season, but he hasn’t practiced since Week 5 and probably won’t make it back with playoff hopes all but vanished.“We’ve just been unlucky this season,” Mack said. “It wasn’t just one guy. It was three guys. You’re just going to have to keep fighting through it.” Texans running back D'Onta Foreman tore his Achilles in November of his rookie season and it took more than a year for him to be deemed ready for a return to the active roster last December.Foreman’s return to the roster led to an appearance in one regular season game and one playoff game. He lost a yard on seven carries in the regular season outing while also catching a touchdown pass and then ran once for three yards in the playoff loss to Indianapolis.That basically added up to a lost season for Foreman Nate Davis Jersey , who showed promise as a complement to Lamar Miller in 2017 before his injury. On Thursday, General Manager Brian Gaine said the team is seeing signs of Foreman returning to that form.“D’Onta, he’s come back in good shape,” Gaine said, via the . “He had an unfortunate situation. Very difficult injury to return from as it relates to the running back position, so we’re pleased with his progress. It looks like he has put in the time and the commitment to be ready to go when we got here, got back here for the first day of the offseason program. I’ve been pleased with what I’ve seen Tytus Howard Jersey , but there’s a lot of football left to be played, there’s a lot of offseason left to complete, but so far so good in terms of getting off on the right foot.”The Texans didn’t re-sing Alfred Blue, which leaves Foreman, Buddy Howell and Josh Ferguson as the non-Miller running back options. That group could grow in the draft, but Foreman should get an extended opportunity to show he’s back to form even if that’s the case.