FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Center Joe Hawley, with his tendency to mix it up with opponents, set an aggressive tone for the Atlanta Falcons from the very start of the season. The team will sorely miss that aspect of Hawley's character, maybe just as much as his consistent play.

With Hawley shelved for the remainder of 2014 following an ACL tear, the onus is on former second-round pick Peter Konz to step in and maintain at least a solid level of play at the center position. Some might consider it too much to ask from a guy who was benched twice last season and physically pushed around. But Konz, who reshape his frame this offseason, seems to have a little more of an edge to him this year.

"I want to play with a chip," said Konz, who has 25 career starts going into Sunday's game versus the New York Giants. "I want to play like I've got something to prove because it means a lot to me. And this game means a lot to me; this team means a lot to me. So whatever happens, I want to go in there and play better than I've ever played just to prove myself, just to prove I can do it. It's just as much about that as it is about having fun."

As things stand now, the Falcons will proceed with a line combination of rookie Jake Matthews at left tackle, Justin Blalock at left guard, Konz at center, Jon Asamoah at right guard, and Gabe Carimi at right tackle. If Blalock continues to have issues with a back injury, Carimi would most likely end up at left guard with Ryan Schraeder stepping in at right tackle. Newcomer Cameron Bradfield and Harland Gunn, who was promoted from the practice squad, provide depth at tackle and guard, respectively.

The Falcons now have lost Hawley, Holmes, left tackle Sam Baker (knee) and versatile linemen Mike Johnson (Lisfranc) to season-ending injuries.

Hawley was the unquestioned leader of the line, something Konz might not be able to duplicate in terms of being vocal. But he'll win over a lot of teammates and coaches by being much more physical than he was last season.

"Pete did a lot of work on his body in the offseason," offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said. "He wanted to change his body, which he did. He wanted to become a more physical player, which that has shown up on film.

"In regard to the chip, that's a personal thing. ... The bottom line is, if you're a pro football player and your number's called, then you're expected to perform. We have very high expectations for Pete, and for anyone else that's going to step up that they will do that."

Carimi, who played with Konz at Wisconsin, expressed faith in his old college buddy.

"Peter is everything you want in a center," Carimi said. "He's smart and strong. He comes to work every day wanting to be better. He'll play winning football every week for us."