Offensive line must be tough to protect rookie Ryan

The Falcons’ offensive line plans to make up for its shortcomings by playing with a nasty attitude.

“I think we made a lot of progress during training camp, and this preseason we have definitely established an attitude about us,” center Todd McClure said. “Once you’ve got that, you can work on everything else.”

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Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Center Todd McClure (62) has started 96 straight games, while right guard Harvey Dahl (73) has played in only five NFL games.

SEASON PREVIEWS

• QB: Ryan quick study • Bradley
• OL: Nasty attitude • Moore
• RB: Power is back • Bradley
• WR: White expects big year • Moore

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McClure, who has a string of 96 consecutive starts, will have to hold together a young unit that will be charged with protecting a rookie quarterback.

Rookie Sam Baker will start at left tackle, along with second-year men Justin Blalock at left guard and Harvey Dahl at the right guard spot.

Dahl, an undrafted free agent, has played in only five NFL games, with no starts. Veterans Tyson Clabo and Todd Weiner are the key players at right tackle.

The line will be asked to cut down on the 47 sacks it gave up last season and upgrade the team’s yards per carry numbers from 3.9 to something more respectable.

Baker, a USC all-American the Falcons traded up to draft in the first round, and Blalock played well together during the preseason.

“We are not going to give him too much credit right now because he’s still a rookie,” McClure said of Baker. “But he has done well. He did well against two good guys, [Tennessee’s Kyle] Vanden Bosch and [Jacksonville’s] Paul Spicer.”

The Falcons know that Baker, who protects quarterback Matt Ryan’s blind side on passing plays, will struggle at some point this season.

“We’ve got 16 more tests to go in the regular season,” McClure said. “I’m sure he’s going to have his ups and downs like any rookie, but he’s real confident.”

Blalock started 14 games as a rookie and struggled at times in pass protection.

“Justin has made tremendous progress from where he was last year at this point,” McClure said. “He’s learning the game. I think he’s come a little bit into his own. He’s more relaxed and he’s able to go out and be aggressive.”

Dahl’s a scrapper. He was noticed after getting in a few fights during the offseason. He has the requisite nasty attitude that new offensive line coach Paul Boudreau and assistant offensive line coach Paul Dunn are looking for.

“That’s one thing the coaching staff has stressed, playing until you hear the whistle and sometimes a little bit beyond,” McClure said. “Those guys don’t like getting blocked. Their tempers may flare a little bit. The only thing we have to control is stuff after the whistle. We can’t have penalties setting drives back, putting us in long situations. As long as we stay aggressive within the whistle, we’ll be fine.”