All Coleman could control was how he performed with nothing except pride on the line. His 5-9 Atlanta Falcons were officially eliminated from the playoffs Sunday when the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Miami Dolphins. Yet despite the Falcons’ losing record, Coleman played with sense of purpose, as if something was on the line during a 40-14 win over the Cardinals. Perhaps he was playing for his future.nike nfl jerseys wholesale cheap
Coleman’s career-high 145 rushing yards and on 11 carries, including a career-long 65-yard sprint and a 43-yard touchdown run, came in the midst of an important evaluation period. It was just the second time Coleman has rushed for 100 yards this season and the Falcons averaged a league-low 81.2 rushing yards per game entering the day. Maybe Coleman, now in his fourth year, didn’t do enough to catapult into consideration as the team’s primary back of the future, but his explosive burst through the gaping holes gave the Falcons something to ponder.
The Falcons have a well-documented decision to make regarding how they want to proceed at running back. Two-time Pro Bowler Devonta Freeman, who has missed most of the season following groin surgery, is likely to remain the No. 1 guy — when healthy — with four years and $24.75 million left on his contract. It seems unlikely Freeman will return this season, although coach Dan Quinn didn’t it rule it out, with Freeman eligible to return off injured reserve next Sunday.
The Falcons have a variety of decisions to weigh leading into 2019, and Coleman isn’t the only player trying to make a strong impression before this season concludes. Defensive end Vic Beasley Jr., the eighth-overall pick in 2015, has been widely criticized for his lack of production after posting a league-high 15.5 sacks in 2016. But Beasley, who hopes to secure a long-term contract with his contract expiring, has shown flashes in recent weeks. He deflected two Josh Rosen passes in Sunday’s win. Teammate Deion Jones intercepted one of those tips and returned it 41 yards for a momentum-shifting touchdown. Beasley also had one of the Falcons’ season-high seven sacks.cheap nfl nike jerseys from china
“Every game, my goal is to make a statement, to show the team, coaches, fans what I’m capable of,” Beasley said. “With it being the end of the year, and our season hasn’t gone the way [we] wanted it to go, that makes it even more of a challenge for us.”
There were others who deserved high marks. Defensive end Bruce Irvin, who was released by Oakland before signing with his hometown Falcons, had 1.5 sacks, a tackle for loss and three quarterback hits as he tries to secure at least another year with the team. Wide receiver Justin Hardy, in the last year of his deal, caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Ryan.
