Atlanta Falcons: Jake Matthews and the Resurgent Season
By Adnan Ikic
“With the 6th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select: Jake Matthews, Tackle, Texas A&M.” Roger Goodell made it official that the Atlanta Falcons had taken the draft’s top rated tackle, as Falcon fans at the team’s draft party erupted with excitement.
Jake Matthews covered Johnny Manziel‘s blindside effectively throughout his college career at Texas A&M, and was immediately transitioned into being a left tackle for the Falcons following Sam Baker‘s season ending preseason injury.
Matthews had a very strong first half in Atlanta’s Week 1 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Then he sustained an injury midway through the game. It ended up being a high ankle sprain which would bother him for quite some time in his first season as a pro.
The injury should have sidelined the rookie for 4-6 weeks, but hall of famer Bruce Matthews‘ son opted to play through the pain, but the ankle sprain hampered that play.
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Pro Football Focus, which is one of the most trusted sites when it comes to grading offensive lineman, took notice of Matthews’ struggles. The rookie’s grade for the season was an abysmal -36.8, which was the worst among all tackles in the NFL.
PFF had this to say about Matthews in 2014: “The state of their (Atlanta’s) offensive line will once again be a concern, with Matthews in particular needing to take a huge step forward after an ugly rookie season (he allowed seven sacks and 51 total pressures).”
Matthews struggled mightily, and while his run blocking did improve back up to average throughout the season, his play directly resulting in Matt Ryan having to evade pressure in his face on a consistent basis in 2014.
The 2015 season, however, ended up marking a new year, and a new Jake Matthews. The Texas A&M product ended up being able to participate in offseason drills following a scary lisfranc injury sustained at the end of the 2014 year, and he was out to amends once those drills began.
Matthews ended up being the best player on Atlanta’s offensive line this past season, as he exchanged the 2014 nightmare for a 2015 bliss summer’s dream.
The Texas A&M product allowed only one sack and six QB hurries in 666 total snaps played, in a season where he started all 16 games as the personal protector of Matt Ryan’s blindside.
PFF took notice as well, giving Jake Matthews a grade of +79.5, making him the 20th highest rated offensive lineman in their grading system. A dramatic improvement indeed, seeing as how Matthews’ grade this season was 116.3 points higher than last season.
Jake Matthews served as a much needed anchor on the offensive line all season, not once getting overwhelmed by the task at hand.
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The Falcons drafted Matthews in the top 10, with the hope that he will be a franchise left tackle for the next decade. After some serious growing pains in his rookie year, and a sort of baptism by fire being thrown into the LT role right away, Jake Matthews looks poised to give the Falcons’ front office a return on their investment.