Falcons OT Jake Matthews 'Proud' After Win vs. Panthers

Jake Matthews won his first Atlanta Falcons season opener since 2017 after beating the Carolina Panthers.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 11, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons (1-0) are victorious in their home opener after beating the Carolina Panthers 24-10 on Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Only two players on the current roster, defensive lineman Grady Jarrett and offensive tackle Jake Matthews, were on the last team to win a Falcons season opener.

“I think in 2017 was the last time we won a season opener," Matthews said. "Obviously, there’s a lot of room for improvement but hey, we won the first game, it’s something to be proud of. It's hard to win in the NFL, we’ll get to work, fix things, and get ready for next week.”

The win also marks the first time the Falcons are over .500 since 2017, and that can give the team a lot of momentum going into the season ... and there's a sense in the building that things are only going to get better for Atlanta.

"We're going to get better, it’s just the beginning because there's definitely some stuff where we're trying to fill each other out a little bit, and that's just part of it," Calais Campbell said. "You can do it in practice, but in the game, it's a whole different environment, but it was fun. I think that we definitely have a good group that meshes well together, we talk through things, we're smart, and you to continue to get better.”

The Falcons have a shot to go 2-0 when the Green Bay Packers come to town on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Published Sep 11, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.