His attitude was infectious throughout the offensive unit. He had two 100-yard games this season, setting a career-high in Week 1 and then breaking it in Week 3. The Falcons’ offensive line will have to carry on without running back Cordarrelle Patterson for at least the next four games. (He gives) tremendous effort and finishes everything he does.” He’s just one of those guys you can trust that he’s going to get the job done. “He always comes in every day with a great attitude,” Matthews said. Lindstrom has been the rock on the right side of the line. “We are very pleased with them,” Smith said. The Falcons tweaked their mostly outside zone blocking system, there’s some new personnel and other players have continued to develop. You’re always looking for ways to improve.” Things we changed from last year and saw. “It wasn’t perfect, but when you show progress (that’s a good sign),” Smith said. He saw growth and development as the year progressed. While the Falcons were on their way to finishing next to last in rushing and giving up sacks by the bushel last season, Smith saw something in a three-game stretch against Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and Carolina that led him to believe most of that group could be productive. “So, we got to build off that and continue doing that in weeks to come,” Matthews said. The Falcons are hopeful that they can sustain the high-level of play. That’s hard to do in the NFL, and we found a way to do it.” “I think it’s something we should take a lot of pride in. “I thought it was very exciting, a pretty cool thing to be a part of,” Matthews said. Ryan was sacked at least 40 times in each of the past three seasons.Ī new approach and the re-configured line has been effective. The Falcons’ lines over the past few years couldn’t protect quarterback Matt Ryan and ranked next to last (31st) in rushing last season. “I think that when your, especially as a group up front, number is called like that, you have to be able to make those plays and put us ahead.” “We were very proud of that,” Matthews said of the 14 running plays. The group has banded together, as the Falcons are averaging 168 yards per game, which ranks fourth in the NFL. Right tackle Kaleb McGary, who didn’t have his fifth-year option picked up in the offseason, held off a challenge from Germain Ifedi, a former first-round draft pick by Seattle in 2016. Drew Dalman beat out Matt Hennessy for the starting center spot. Only Matthews and right guard Chris Lindstrom had secure positions.Įlijah Wilkinson, who mostly had been a right tackle in stops with Denver and Chicago, won the left guard spot. The Falcons’ offensive line was a major offseason project. “It was satisfying to pull that (assignment) and see it pay off,” Matthews said.
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