Dahl succeeds in first year as starting guard

Flowery Branch — Falcons right guard Harvey Dahl has held up well in his first season as a starter.

“I’ve been playing hard and understanding what’s going on helps,” Dahl said. “Just being able to play physical has helped me to compete on this level.”

Dahl, who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent, beat out former starter Kynan Forney in training camp. Dahl and rookie Sam Baker entered the season with no career NFL starts.

“I think we are all feeling like we’re gelling as an offensive line,” Dahl said. “We are all working toward the same goal.”

Dahl’s played a role in helping the Falcons lead the league in rushing at 163.3 yards per game. The unit as a whole is proud of the team’s rushing prowess.

“Absolutely, but you can’t look at stats too much,” Dahl said. “But we do really well when we run the ball. I think we take a lot of pride in that and getting our backs to the secondary. I think everyone feels good when we are running the ball.”

Dahl expects a big battle against the Saints’ defensive front. He’s expected to see defensive tackle Brian Young for most of the game.

“They are a real talented group,” Dahl said. “We’re going to have our hands full. They get after it on the pass rush. It will be a big challenge for us.”