It was Miller Time in Caesars Superdome on Sunday.
New Orleans Saints rookie running back Kendre Miller hadn’t played in a football game since Nov. 5 against the Chicago Bears.
So there may not have been a person in the Dome happier than the Saints' third round draft pick from TCU.
“Finally,” Miller said. “That’s all I can say. … I hadn’t got tackled in so long. It felt good to get the feel of it at first and to get in that rhythm. I knew the team needed me and we needed this win.”
Miller, who has been inactive the previous seven games dealing with an ankle injury, made an impact in the Saints’ 48-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
Miller rushed 13 times for a team-best 73 yards and scored a touchdown. He also caught one pass for 6 yards.
“I had an opportunity,” Miller said. “They told me they were going to feed me so I had to show them what I got.”
Miller came into the game with just 28 carries for 83 yards. He almost equaled that total Sunday.
“Hopefully that gives (Kendre Miller) some confidence,” said Saints head coach Dennis Allen. “I know that gives me some confidence. He made a couple of guys miss today. That was really good to see. He ran really hard. He protected the football. Anytime you have young guys, particularly late in the season, and you have young guys that can step up and make plays, regardless of whether we get in (the playoffs) or not, I think that gives us confidence as we move forward.”
Miller’s best play was his 3-yard touchdown run in the second quarter when he made several Falcons miss and then stretched the ball across the goal line.
“I had to make something out of nothing and find the end zone,” Miller said. "That’s just that instinct God blessed me with.”
Miller’s previous best rushing game came against New England when he finished with 37 yards on 12 carries.
“This is something to go into the offseason and build off of,” Miller said.