Matchup: Falcons’ offensive line vs. Saints’ defensive line
New Orleans Saints Tom Johnson tackles Atlanta Falcons Michael Turner for a short gain during 1st half action. Curtis Compton, ccompton@ajc.com
Here is a look at how the Falcons’ offensive line matches up against the Saints’ defensive line:
Matchup Advantage: Falcons
What happened last time: The Saints’ defensive line played a big part in holding the Falcons to 5-of-13 on third downs (31 percent) and came up with a big play on a fourth-and-inches situation in overtime. Rogers had good penetration and Smith slipped through a wide split by tight end Reggie Kelly. The Falcons generated a season-high 481 total yards, but stalled in the red zone and had to settle for three field goals.
Falcons’ starters: Left tackle Will Svitek, left guard Justin Blalock, center Todd McClure, right guard Joe Hawley and right tackle Tyson Clabo.
Falcons’ key reserves: Tackle Kirk Chambers, guard Garrett Reynolds and center Brett Romberg.
Saints’ starters: Left end Cameron Jordan, nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin, defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis and right end Will Smith.
Saints’ key reserves: Ends Junior Galette, Turk McBride and Jeff Charleston and tackles Shaun Rogers and Tom Johnson.
Matchups to watch: Hawley vs. Ellis and Svitek vs. Smith.
The current starting unit – the Falcons have used four different combinations this season — should be in better sync for this matchup with the Saints.
In the first meeting, Svitek was making his third start of the year and Hawley, who has given up 4 1/2 sacks, was making his second pro start at right guard.
After a bumpy start to the season, the unit has pulled together in pass protection. They have given up 26 sacks, which is the ninth-lowest total in the league. However, they have given up 74 quarterback hits, which ranks sixth-highest in the league.
The Saints have allowed 109.9 yards rushing per game, which ranks 13th in the league. They have generated 31 sacks, but safety Roman Harper is the team leader with 7 1/2. Smith is tops along the defensive line with 6 1/2. Galette has 4 1/2 sacks.
Jordan, a rookie who was the 24th pick overall in the first round from Cal-Berkeley, has started all 14 games, 12 at left end. He has 53 tackles, four passes defensed, one fumble recovery, but no sacks.
“He did some really good things against me last time, so I’m going to have to counter that,” Clabo said. “He’s a first-round pick, a big-time player. He will be a good challenge for me. We’ll see what happens.”
Despite not having a sack, the Falcons are impressed with Jordan.
“I think that he’s off to a really good start in his career,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “I think he’s going to be a guy that we’re going to have to contend with for a long time.”
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
Get instant updates on Twitter at AJCFalcons and you can join the Facebook Fan page at AJC Falcons.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
87 comments Add your comment
Chopper
December 22nd, 2011
1:23 pm
Saints fans = x-files they want to believe
chomp
comncnts
December 22nd, 2011
1:23 pm
double b, you are lucky girl, oops I assume to much
comncnts
December 22nd, 2011
1:28 pm
ok – your blog is boring, I will return to where they talk football – Merry Christmas to all, remember is is just a game… Saints 38 Falcons 24
double b
December 22nd, 2011
1:35 pm
merry christmas to u to notcomncnts now if heraim saint, seen this b4, and the other trolls would leave it would be alright–GO FALCONS! Our underated LB’s are goin to have a field day!
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2011
1:44 pm
Saint fans will be in Futureshock after Jan 1,2012 = Believe
chomp chomp chomp
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2011
1:45 pm
that was funny Chopper
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2011
1:48 pm
Falcons generated a season-high 481 total yards against the Saints, mmmmmmmmmm , they probably wont need but about 350 yards total to beat em if Ryan connects on passes and Turner can bust some holes through their huge defensive line !
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2011
1:52 pm
Got to put the brakes on J. Graham and keep him out of the end zone too, the Birds can stop their running game, its been done in the last match.
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2011
1:53 pm
X-files ha ! too funny
Red Helmet Swarm
December 22nd, 2011
1:55 pm
This is cool man; atl’s got fun on a falcons blog & saints(da’caints) bloggers(boogers)wanna get on here too! must be borin’ down yonder in da swamps, except a few gators snappin’ at some saint jumbalaya. Sorry guy’s had to get that out.
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2011
1:57 pm
@Ben ……………………they are fat but there’s a lot of muscle up under it too and they can be hard to stop at times especially on a fresh series , I’ll be back in awhile
SeenThisB4
December 22nd, 2011
2:00 pm
@Michael: the facan’ts couldn’t win with 480 yds. And now will win with 130 yds. Less?
Red Helmet Swarm
December 22nd, 2011
2:00 pm
chopper whopper & m&m holdin there own. nola nation bloggers think they runnin’ atl into da ground. Nah,they gotta get rid of those parasites,talkin’ trash just gives them temporary relief.
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2011
2:11 pm
Afraid Ryan can beat you with 220 yards or less if he’s on the money and having a killer day…………seen him do it many times with low yards passing…………………that’s a vintage Peyton Manning field passing clinic for you all to watch when he is on his “A” game. That’s the thing about “our” quarterback, he doesn’t have to have 400 to 500 yards passing to beat you for he can do it with key passes when they count and when the time is right there for him !
Another advantage he has here lately as in past two games is everybody is starting to pick it up and catch those balls and with that happening he could most definately put some hurt on that D-line of the Saints in that MNF match up !
Go Falcons !
hiramsaint
December 22nd, 2011
2:16 pm
smitty after the game- well we made alot of uncharacteristic mistakes tonight. we had some procedural calls and couldn’t protect our qb. hopefully the hospital will be transferring him back to atl by the end of the week.
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2011
2:16 pm
Saw a video of Saints Coach chewing his Juicy fruit early this morning and getting a piece of spearmint gum in a mix up of some kind ………………..he should go through a 12 pack of that Juicy Fruit Gum in that MNF game just because his nerves will be so rattled should our Team put on a clinic against yours like they did the Jags. It will be a good one and a tough one at that……………look for some hard hitting out there in that one for sure seeing how it holds alot of weight in the South Div.
hiramsaint
December 22nd, 2011
2:18 pm
all that ryan trash works against the jags and colts but what about winning teams mikey m? …chirp….chirp…chirp
hiramsaint
December 22nd, 2011
2:20 pm
the only clinic your team puts on is how to choke at pivotal moments. check your playoff record lately
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2011
2:24 pm
As far as that goes we all know how well evenly matched a lot of the NFL is these days for there’s just not that many teams out there that have the talent across the board as some of these teams do and you have to consider that some of the better teams are not doing that much thanks to key injuries like the Steelers have at QB. Look at the Eagles…………..injuries….enough said
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2011
2:27 pm
Speaking of injuries lets hope neither of our teams have any in the MNF game..agree ?
Red Helmet Swarm
December 22nd, 2011
2:35 pm
Hey hiram;lately nola’s aint been held unscathed in the one & done playoff picture(seahawks shockin’) nola in the 1st round last year,as well as we did w/ GB. But we believin’& feelin things are bout’to change, lookin foward to the challenge Monday night. See ya’ll.
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2011
2:35 pm
And one other thing before I have to leave for awhile that has bothered me the past few days is………………………..if we have to play your team twice and can only win one game against them in your Dome then I would rather lose Monday Night and give you the title and let you all have your laughs and fun and then we get the ” Win” in the playoffs that really “mean something” and you can watch us move on in the Playoffs and all of you can sit on the couch together and hold hands and do the chant “If only”, “We coulda” etc, etc, etc………….
Later Taters I got to go here
ijonathan
December 22nd, 2011
2:40 pm
@DOL, thanks. It is telling, though, that you would forget to list Sam Baker even in the reserves category. Talk about falling off the table.
FalcFan
December 22nd, 2011
3:30 pm
Falcons will win big on Monday….Aints won’t know what hit ‘em…..Brees better rest his backside before then because he’s gonna be on it a lot at MNF….If St. Louis can sack him 5 times, so can we…..Julio will shred their OLE! defensive backfield…..
NOlaGAL!
December 22nd, 2011
3:39 pm
omg! Falcons Fans need to sit down! Aren’t yall the same one’s who abadoned your team last year during the playoffs when they were losing to Greenbay! Atleast us Saints fans are loyal! Who DAT! See ya Monday nite!!!
The Big Fat Blogger
December 22nd, 2011
3:45 pm
LOL Nolatranny,
Aints fans need to sit down as well, didn’t aint fans invent the brown paper bag?
hiramsaint
December 22nd, 2011
3:47 pm
nolagal- these same failclown fans talk the same guff every time they lose to us. i’ve been taunting them and farting in their general direction for years now. every time it’s how ryan is gonna scorch us and old man abe is gonna terrorize brees but guess what …it never happens and on tues all you’ll hear on these blogs is crickets-like usual
FalcFan
December 22nd, 2011
4:01 pm
This time is different dude….I guarantee a Falcon win….Saints defense will get riddled….hope they enjoy chasing our receivers into the end zone…
Chopper
December 22nd, 2011
4:11 pm
hiramsaint= female with cell phone neva stop talkin
___chomp chomp
Tell it like it is.
December 22nd, 2011
4:25 pm
i will be the first falcon fan to give the saints props for thier offence,along with Dree Brees they are very strong,but i thank the Atlanta falcons offence is very underated.i think if anything they have got stronger as the year has gone along,slight advantage Saints. Defence i beleive the falcons are better aginst the run,and both teams are about the same aginst the pass,advantage falcons.home field advantage none,Falcons most of the time play good football in the saints house.Falcons win 31-28
hiramsaint
December 22nd, 2011
4:39 pm
our O in our house-slight advantage? we have twice the running backs-3 times the recievers {and they can catch } and 10 times the qb. i say huge advantage. the D’s are about equal as a whole but our coaching staff is far more impressive than the 3 stooges in atlanta. saints win by 17
12 men in the huddle
December 22nd, 2011
5:27 pm
BEN “Let me get dis straight…the Saints held us to 31% on 3rd down, we missed a field goal early in the game, Roddy dropped the game winning touchdown, they stopped us on 4th and 1, Brees passed for 320+, and they STILL only beat us by 3. See how close these games are? They could LITERALLY go either way. Saints can’t and will not crush the Falcons. Falcons will win this time.”
…let’s get this straight: THIS game is in NO..not Atlanta. NO is still playing for a 1st round bye…we have our seeding in the playoffs just about locked up even if we lose this game. I’d love to see the Falcons win this game…..or at least keep it close. But I just don’t see it happening. We are going to get beat by 2 touchdowns….UNLESS we can control the time of possession and run the ball better than we have recently.
WhoDat4Eva
December 22nd, 2011
6:08 pm
I will save my comments til tuesday.
WHODAT!! WHODAT!!
hiramsaint
December 22nd, 2011
6:16 pm
i’ll give mine now- matty melt and the girls will go home with their butts in the bags we use to wear over our heads
DEE-ROME
December 22nd, 2011
9:47 pm
Sunny maybe you need to be wit the SAINTS cause ur not a FALCON FAN!!!!!!!!
Fan of football
December 23rd, 2011
3:21 am
Falcon fans: We would have won if we wouldn’t have missed a field goal, or if Roddy White would have caught the football for a touchdown. I say, using your logic, no you would not have. The Saints kicker missed a field goal, and Harper dropped a gaming ending intercept just before Roddy White dropped the football. The Falcons lost the game because the Saints did what they had to do to wint. In football, the one with the most points was the better team that day, regardless of time of possession, yardage, etc.
Big O
December 23rd, 2011
11:15 am
I’ll say it again. To pressure Brees, mix up the DL. Use a 5 man rush from time to time. And the 5th man should be Biermann over their TEs who aren’t good blockers; or, up the middle from a position in front of Lofton. Biermann may be a small DE, but he is fast, strong, and aggressive.