Bryant to test hamstring on Thursday

Falcons return from bye week to face the Washington Redskins. (Video by D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC)

Falcons place-kicker Matt Bryant is set to test his sore right hamstring on Thursday, coach Dan Quinn said on Monday.

“I think it treated him well, the reason that I say that is that he’s making a turn for the better,” Quinn said of Bryant getting some rest over the bye week. “We are not going to rule him out this week.”

Kicker Giorgio Tavecchio was named the NFC’s special teams player of the week last week after making field goals of 40, 50 and 56 yards in the 23-20 win over the New York Giants on Oct. 22 before the break in place of Bryant.

Bryant suffered a strained hamstring against Tampa Bay.

“We’ll see where it goes through Thursday afternoon,” Quinn said. “That’s usually the day that he gets most of the kicking. Until we have a better sense for that.

“The thing that I was fired up about is that he’s closer than he’s been from last week by quite a bit. He’s really worked his tail off (over) the off week to get his strength right. We don’t really know with a hamstring until you kind of go (test it). It’s like running. He has to test his power a little bit. We are encouraged that he’s will to test it on Thursday.”