Falcons' Freeman Runs for 3 Touchdowns in Consecutive Games

Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman had another strong showing in Sunday's 48-21 win over the Houston Texans, becoming the first player since at least the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to run for three or more touchdowns in each of the first two starts of his career, per ESPN's Adam Caplan.

The second-year Florida State product only got 14 carries for 59 yards in the blowout victory, but he still managed to find the end zone three times, also adding five catches for another 81 yards.

Freeman made his first career start in Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys, with his insertion into the starting lineup prompted by a rib injury to fellow Falcons running back Tevin Coleman, who was selected in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft.

With Coleman starting the first two games, Freeman, a fourth-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft, began his season with just 106 scrimmage yards and one touchdown through two weeks.

He then stepped up in a massive way in Coleman's absence, gouging the Cowboys for 141 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries and an additional 52 yards on five catches in a 39-28 Falcons win.

Freeman's incredible two-week run makes him the first Falcons player since Michael Turner in 2010 to record consecutive games with multiple rushing touchdowns, per ESPN Stats & Info.

And Freeman's six rushing touchdowns through the first four games of a season set a franchise record, per STATS LLC.

Perhaps most impressive of all, Freeman is just the eighth player (since at least 1960) to run for three or more touchdowns in consecutive games, with Priest Holmes the only player to accomplish the feat on two separate occasions, per Pro-Football-Reference.com's play index.

When he faces the Washington Redskins on Sunday, Freeman will try to join LaDainian Tomlinson (2006) as the only players to rush for three or more touchdowns in three straight games.