Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is confident that the team’s revamped offensive line can provide adequate protection.
With center Joe Hawley and right tackle Lamar Holmes out for the season and left guard Justin Blalock battling a back injury, the Falcons will have a revamped line against the New York Giants at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Peter Konz will start at center for Hawley. Gabe Carimi will take over at right tackle and Harland Gunn, who was on the practice squad last week is set to play left guard for Blalock.
Ryan believes that the unit will hold up much better than the revamped 2013 unit.
“Mike Tice has done a really good with those guys this entire year,” Ryan said. “We have guys who’ve had more experience playing.”
Last season, when the offensive line was restructured after several injuries, the unit failed to protect the quarterback. The Falcons allowed pressure on 37.6 percent of their dropbacks, according to profootballfocus.com. The offensive line was given responsibility for allowing 32 of 44 sacks. The quarterback was hit 42 times additional times and hurried 190.
“Last year, it was a lot of people’s first opportunity when they were thrown into the fire,” Ryan said. “One of things that is going to help us is last year guys who had the opportunity to go out there and play, now they have that experience under their belts. I think that’s huge for us.”
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