DEPTH CHART: Starters will get test vs. Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward (86) tries to break a tackle by Arizona Cardinals cornerback Roderick Hood (26) during the first quarter of the NFL Super Bowl XLIII football game, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009, in Tampa, Fla. The former UGA standout is now an accomplished ballroom dancer, too. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons coach Mike Smith said the Falcons will likely play their starters a significant portion of Saturday night’s game against the Steelers.

“In terms of the amount of snaps that they are going to play, I don’t know that we’ve sat down and decided,” Smith said. “But we want to keep those [starting] units in there and get them as many exposures as possible.”

Smith said the team will do some game planning, including film work, as they switch from a training-camp to regular-season schedule this week. The coach said there was no game planning for the exhibitions against the Dolphins and Jaguars.

Also, in the past, he’s wanted the starters to go through a regular halftime and then return to the action. So, if he stays with that plan, we could see the starters well into the third quarter.

Falcons center Todd McClure returned to practice on Sunday. The 12-year veteran received some "veteran rest time" from head coach Mike Smith. He'll see action against Pittsburgh. (D. Orlando Ledbetter/DLedbetter@ajc.com)

Here’s the depth chart that was released by the team on Monday for the Steelers’ game:

OFFENSE

WR 11 Julio Jones 83 Harry Douglas 14 Eric Weems 15 Andy Strickland
                                                           18 Doug Beaumont 12 Kevin Cone
LT 72 Sam Baker 65 Jose Valdez
LG 63 Justin Blalock 69 Andrew Jackson 68 Paul Fenaroli
C 62 Todd McClure 61 Joe Hawley 67 Rob Bruggeman 64 Ryan McMahon
RG 75 Garrett Reynolds 79 Mike Johnson
RT 77 Tyson Clabo 74 Will Svitek 66 Matt Murphy
TE 88 Tony Gonzalez 89 Reggie Kelly 81 Michael Palmer 85 Marquez Branson
                                                               86 Ryan Winterswyk 48 A.J. Simmons
WR 84 Roddy White 80 Kerry Meier 16 Tim Buckley 17 Brandyn Harvey
                                                                                                19 Drew Davis
QB 2 Matt Ryan 8 Chris Redman 4 John Parker Wilson 13 Adam Froman
RB 33 Michael Turner 44 Jason Snelling 27 Gartrell Johnson 35 Antone Smith
                                                                       22 Jacquizz Rodgers 32 Philip Sylvester
FB 34 Ovie Mughelli 42 Lucas Cox 40 Thor Merrow

DEFENSE

RE 55 John Abraham 90 Lawrence Sidbury 98 Cliff Matthews 96 Emmanuel Stephens
DT 91 Corey Peters 99 Vance Walker 97 Trey Lewis 73 Carlton Powell
DT 95 Jonathan Babineaux 94 Peria Jerry 76 Kiante Tripp
LE 93 Ray Edwards 71 Kroy Biermann 92 Chauncey Davis 70 Tom McCarthy
WLB 56 Sean Weatherspoon 59 Spencer Adkins 51 Robert James 49 Youri Yenga
MLB 50 Curtis Lofton 52 Coy Wire 43 Akeem Dent 45 Bear Woods
SLB 54 Stephen Nicholas 53 Mike Peterson 46 LaMarcus Thompson
RCB 23 Dunta Robinson 21 Chris Owens 26 Kamaal McIlwain
LCB 20 Brent Grimes 24 Dominique Franks 29 Darrin Walls 37 Kirk Belgrave
SS 25 William Moore 36 Rafael Bush 38 Rafael Priest 30 Matt Hansen
FS 28 Thomas DeCoud 39 Shann Schillinger 41 Suaesi Tuimaunei

SPECIALISTS
K 3 Matt Bryant
KO 5 Matt Bosher
P 5 Matt Bosher 6 Ken Parrish
KR 14 Eric Weems 83 Harry Douglas
PR 14 Eric Weems 83 Harry Douglas
LS 82 Joe Zelenka 47 Andrew Schulze
H 5 Matt Bosher 80 Kerry Meier

–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog

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