Freeman stars again for Falcons in 48-21 win over Texans

ATLANTA _ Falcons running back Devonta Freeman insisted that his breakout performance in his first career start wouldn’t change his attitude for his second start.tmpplchld “I’m the same,” Freeman said before the Falcons defeated the Texans, 48-21, on Sunday. “I approach it the same. Nothing different. Same preparation. I’m excited to get back out there.”tmpplchld It took little time for Freeman to follow up his superlative game against the Cowboys in Week 3 with more big plays. Freeman had 53 yards rushing with two touchdowns and 81 yards receiving in the first half against the Texans. He added a six-yard TD run in the third quarter that extended the lead to 35-0, after which Freeman was done for the day.tmpplchld In his second start in place of Tevin Coleman (ribs) Freeman finished with 68 yards rushing on 14 carries and five catches for 81 yards. In his first start Freeman erupted for 141 yards on 30 carries with three touchdowns and also had five catches for 52 yards.tmpplchld Freeman’s three touchdowns in four games give him seven on the season. That surpasses the team-high six rushing touchdowns scored by former Falcons running back Steven Jackson over 15 games during the 2014 season.tmpplchld Freeman scored both Falcons touchdowns as they raced out to a 14-0 lead against the Texans: a 16-yard run in the first quarter and a 23-yard run on the first play of the second quarter. He also helped to set up the Falcons’ fourth TD of the half with a 44-yard reception.tmpplchld Freeman had two key gains before his first touchdown. The Falcons went for it when faced with a fourth-and-one at the Houston 44-yard line. Freeman ran right and was hit near the line of scrimmage by massive Texans nose tackle Vince Wilfork, but managed to twist and lunge for a yard to gain the first down.tmpplchld Three plays later Freeman caught a 24-yard pass from quarterback Matt Ryan on third-and-six. Ryan scrambled away from pressure before finding Freeman open along the right sideline.tmpplchld Freeman finished the drive with the 16-yard touchdown run on the next play. He raced through a hole on the right side of the line and raced away from safety Quntin Demps for the score.tmpplchld The Falcons had a first down at Houston’s 23-yard line when Freeman scored his second TD of the day. He burst through hole in the middle of the field, hurdled Demps near the 15-yard line and avoided a tackle attempt by safety Rahim Moore to get to the end zone.tmpplchld Freeman slipped out of the backfield uncovered on his 44-yard catch-and-run that set up a first down at the Houston 12-yard line. Leonard Hankerson caught a three-yard TD pass three plays later.tmpplchld ___tmpplchld (c)2015 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Atlanta, Ga.)tmpplchld Visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Atlanta, Ga.) at www.ajc.comtmpplchld Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.tmpplchld