Falcons' offensive line out to prove its worth

By D. ORLANDO LEDBETTER

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

With the Falcons set to open the season against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at the Georgia Dome, the AJC this week will preview the upcoming season. Today: Offensive line.

Flowery Branch — Right guard Harvey Dahl appears to have mellowed just a bit.

The Falcons made it through training camp and the exhibition season with Dahl not getting into one major fight.

Last year, while battling his way into the starting lineup, Dahl would drop the gloves in an instance. He was one nasty man on a mission.

If there was a tussle, rumble or fight, you knew that Dahl was somewhere in the mix.

His feisty style blended well with right tackle Tyson Clabo as they developed into the Bruise Brothers of the Falcons offensive line for blocking down field and playing up to the whistle.

“I feel confident after getting a year starting under my belt,” Dahl said. “The expectations are high this year for me and the [offensive] line. We have set the bar high, and we’ve got to live up to that.”

Before last season, the unit was much-maligned.

But after paving the way for running back Michael Turner’s breakout 1,699 yards rushing and cutting their sack total from 47 to 17, no one is criticizing them now.

While Dahl and Clabo got things done on the right side, tackle Sam Baker and guard Justin Blalock are back on the left side, with veteran Todd McClure anchoring at center.

“Last year at this time, we were trying to find out who the guys were and where we were going to line them up,” offensive line coach Paul Boudreau said. “They had to figure out us and how we coach. We had to figure out them. So far, the chemistry has been good, especially with the first group.”

The Falcons sought to add some depth. They signed veterans Will Svitek (tackle) and Brett Romberg (guard/center). Guard/tackle Quinn Ojinnaka and rookie tackle Garrett Reynolds round out the unit.

Getting quality depth was important because last season Blalock, McClure, Dahl and Clabo started all 17 games. Baker was the only starter to miss games. He missed 11 starters while out with a concussion and back injuries.

If the injury bug hits this season, the team wanted to be prepared, and it had to replace Todd Weiner, who retired after backing up Baker.

Boudreau is expecting some improvement from last season’s stellar performance.

“They have a better understanding of our system,” Boudreau said. “They are working together better and communicating, nonverbally sometimes, about how to work together.”

Boudreau has not eased up on the unit. He’s challenging them to prove that last season’s showing was not a fluke.

“We have to prove that we are going to get better as a football team,” Boudreau said. “We lost our last game of the season last year, and that’s not what we want to do this year.”

Clabo believes the unit is up to the task.

“I don’t feel that last season was a fluke,” Clabo said. “I can stand here all day and tell you that it wasn’t a fluke, it wasn’t a fluke, it wasn’t a fluke. But, if we don’t go out and perform and play well, none of that is going to matter.”

To improve the unit, the players plan to focus on some of the simple nuances of the game. They have been spending extra time on where they place their hands on some plays, the footwork and communicating more quickly and clearly with one another.

“It can really turn out to be a good experience for us if we all improve on those little things,” Clabo said.

Dahl has another even loftier goal for the unit.

“Well, we had 17 sacks last year,” Dahl said. “We can cut that in half.”