The Falcons have been careful to monitor defensive end John Abraham’s snaps during the season, turning their best pass rusher into a part-time player.
He will be a full-time player in the playoffs.
“We’ve had him on a play count all season long, and now it’s an opportunity for us to go and extend his snaps as we get into the postseason,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said Thursday via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
New York’s defensive line gets a lot of attention, and for good reason. But Atlanta’s group is underrated and dangerous in its own right.
Abraham, 33, is still an effective pass rusher. Corey Peters and Jonathan Babineux are a terrific 1-2 combination at defensive tackle.
New York’s offensive line has been up and down all year and they will have their hands full on Sunday.