When coach Mike Smith and his staff took over before this season, Roddy White and Laurent Robinson were the top wide receivers.

It didn't deter Jenkins, a former first-round pick.

There were two paths before Jenkins. He could have gotten dejected and slacked off. That likely would have led to his release and the label of a bust. The other path, the one he took, was to dig in and fight.

The Falcons are happy that he did. Jenkins, a starter again, remains an important part of the Falcons' improbable quest for the playoffs. They need a victory Sunday at Minnesota to keep the bid alive.

The Vikings will focus their pass defense on stopping White, the Falcons' Pro Bowl receiver. Jenkins should have room to do some damage.

It's a far cry from those first days of camp when he was a backup.

"We had no preconceived ideas about who was going to be playing what position," Smith said. "We were going to let them go out and compete. Michael is a very competitive person. He deserves everything that he's got."

Jenkins was the 29th overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft. With that came pressure.

"There are, of course, expectations for you to do well and perform well on the field," he said. "Everybody wants to see results. It's just doing your job and staying humble and going to work every day."

Jenkins, who was coming off his best season with 53 catches and six starts, climbed his way back up the depth chart. He won the starting position. On the first throw of Matt Ryan's career, Jenkins hauled in a 62-yard touchdown pass.

His steady play was rewarded when he agreed to a four-year, $20 million contract extension in November.

The Falcons like his ability to run routes at all levels --- deep, intermediate, over the middle, out of the backfield --- and block in their power running game.

"The more you can do, the better," Jenkins said. "It all just helps our offense."

Smith points out specific plays from Falcons victories in which Jenkins played a key role.

He points to the route on Ryan's first throw. And also to Jenkins' precise out route that allowed the Falcons to beat Chicago in the final 11 seconds.

"He's not afraid to go across the middle," the coach said. "He's physical. He can body away from defensive backs and linebackers when he's going across the middle."

With the continued development of White, Jenkins has shifted into the No. 2 receiver role. He has 42 catches for 644 yards and three touchdowns.

Jenkins was happy for White, who arrived a year later with the 27th pick of the draft, when he was selected to the Pro Bowl on Tuesday.

"The things that we've been through, and to see him have the success and be selected to the Pro Bowl, that was big," Jenkins said.

Jenkins knows he'll get less attention than White from opposing defenses, but "you still have to win your matchups or whatever it might be."

Said Smith: "I'm not a bit surprised at Michael Jenkins' production. We are very glad that we have him locked up for a long time."

NEXT FOR Falcons

* Who: at Vikings

* When: 4:15 p.m. Sunday

* TV; radio: Fox; 92.9 FM