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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2008 > August > 31 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USFalcons’ offensive line shaky at best
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
To tweak the famous words of Rick Pitino just a bit, Mike Kenn isn’t going to walk through that door. Neither is Jeff Van Note, Bill Fralic, Bob Whitfield or anybody else who was at least pretty good as an offensive lineman for the Falcons.
What the Falcons have now on their offensive line is pretty scary.
The only sure thing is Todd McClure, because he has spent most of his decade in the NFL as a starter. The other four spots are filled with those ranging from the unproven to the aching.
Sam Baker is a rookie at left tackle, the most important spot on the offensive line for a team with a right-handed starting quarterback. And the Falcons have a right-handed starting quarterback. They also have second-year player Justin Blalock at left guard trying to show that his rocky first season was just a fluke. Who knows about the mostly obscure Harvey Dahl at right guard? Then there is Tyson Clabo, previously an NFL guard, who started at right tackle last season after Todd Weiner suffered a major knee injury.
This isn’t good when your starting quarterback is Matt Ryan, a rookie with so many other things to fret about at a position that historically isn’t kind to rookies.
Now consider this: 133. That’s how many sacks the Falcons’ offensive line allowed during the past three seasons. Only six NFL teams allowed more in that stretch. And, remember, the first two of those seasons featured Michael Vick as the Falcons starting quarterback, which means that not even No. 7 could use his swift feet to keep from getting smacked to the ground.
There is hope for the Falcons, however, because they have veteran offensive line coach Paul Boudreau this season with his accomplished resume and sensible approach. That’s opposed to his predecessors — Mike Summers, a lifetime college guy, and Alex Gibbs, architect of that cut-blocking approach.
Hope Ryan likes to run.
And duck.
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