3. Better offensive line
One of the primary reasons why the Falcons struggled was their poor play on the offensive line. Left tackle Sam Baker suffered a season-ending injury and was replaced by the terrible Lamarr Holmes. General manager Thomas Dimitroff recognized these woes and acted by signing guard Jon Asamoah in free agency and selecting tackle Jake Matthews in the first round of the draft. Asamoah and Matthews are expected to handle the right side in the trenches. Baker and Blalock, who is a consistent force, will man the left side. Joe Hawley will look to take the next step in his role as the Falcons’ center.
2. Healthy receivers
Roddy White played most of last season through a hamstring injury, and he aggravated it further before sitting out a few games. However, he came on strong at the end of the season and looked like his old self. The biggest blow came when Julio Jones fractured his foot early in the season, and he was forced to sit out for the remainder of 2013.
Ryan was forced to throw with Harry Douglas as his top target at wide receiver. While the former Louisville player performed solidly, he is better off as a slot receiver with White and Jones lining up on the outside. Ryan should see an uptick in his stats if both receivers can stay healthy.
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