Notebook: Foster, Clabo ready to start

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- With injuries at both tackle positions, the Falcons will have to do some shuffling along the offensive line come Monday night when the New York Giants, who are tied for the league lead in sacks (17), visit the Georgia Dome for Monday Night Football.

Atlanta placed veteran left tackle Wayne Gandy on injured reserve Tuesday and right tackle Todd Weiner is expected to miss two to six weeks with a knee injury.

Head Coach Bobby Petrino said Wednesday the team would start undrafted rookie Renardo Foster on the left side and put second-year man Tyson Clabo, who is listed as a guard, in Weiner's spot on the right side.

"They are looking forward to the challenge and that’s a good thing," Petrino said. "Renardo Foster will be in there at the left tackle and Tyson Clabo will come in at right tackle. He’s been working hard at that for over a month now and I think he’s really improved. We’ll have Quinn Ojinnaka as the swing guy backing both positions up."

Foster came in for an injured Gandy twice in the team's first five games. Clabo has been inactive for every contest, but started 10 games for the Falcons last season.

"This week I have to go in, watch a lot of film, study and focus on the defensive ends and the defense as a whole because I know it will be a large task," said Foster, who draws Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora Monday night. "We've all seen the Philadelphia game so we know what we have on our hands."

That "Philadelphia game" was one for Umenyiora's scrap book. The five-year veteran has 35.5 sacks in his career, including seven against the Eagles two weeks ago (the team had 12).

Clabo will line up against Michael Strahan, the Giants' all-time sack leader.

"We're losing two guys up front and that's going to be hard for us," center Todd McClure said. "They have a chance to come in and get their career going. I hate to see (Gandy and Weiner) get hurt. It's a big loss for us, but we have to try to move forward."

STAYING THE COURSE: The word of the day around Falcons camp was "focus," as most players and coaches were questioned about the team's mind set after a 1-4 start.

Fans can rest assured the team has it's goals in sight and it's psyche in order.

"Our motive has been unchanged from the very beginning," linebacker Keith Brooking said. "We've had the same mind set from day one and we'll continue to have that... I think (the Giants game) is a great opportunity for us to display and put on a show and prove to everyone that we're a team with great character and we never give up."

Added tight end Alge Crumpler...

"We're on the same page and I think everybody in our organization is on the same page. We're about winning. We're going to find ways to come together, stick together and win."

ALMOST BACK: Defensive tackle Rod Coleman (knee) was close to making his first start of 2007 last week, but coaches and doctors decided to err on the side of caution with one of the league's most prolific interior pass rushers.

That said, the extra day this week should do Coleman well and the Falcons could be enjoying the services of their Pro Bowler Monday night.

"It looks like he really has a shot at it and we’ll see how the rest of the week goes," Petrino said Wednesday. "In his mind, he’s definitely going to play and you could see that out there today."

Coleman was limited in Wednesday's practice.

NEW ADDITION: Wednesday the Falcons signed linebacker Earl Everett to the practice squad to fill the spot created by Kevin Huntley's release Tuesday afternoon.

Everett entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent of the Cincinnati Bengals following the 2007 NFL Draft. He was a first team All-SEC selection by the league's coaches and led the Gators defense with seven tackles in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game. He played four seasons with the Gators and finished his career with 271 tackles, 9.5 sacks and two interceptions.

TICKETS AVAILABLE: A limited number of seats remain for Monday evening's game. Seats aren't expected to last long, so fans are advised to act quickly. Click here for details.