LISTEN: How Can Falcons Stop Nick Bosa?

Locked On Falcons: Are the Falcons Legit Playoff Contenders?

Jeremy Brener | Dec 17, 2021

The Atlanta Falcons have struggled on the offensive line for most of the season.

This weekend, the unit will be put to the test once again as they travel to Santa Clara to face Nick Bosa and the San Francisco 49ers. Bosa's 14 sacks lead the NFC, and he will pose a huge threat for the Falcons' fledgling offensive line.

Quarterback Matt Ryan will have to get the ball out of his hands quick to evade the dominant Bosa and the rest of the 49ers' talented pass rush.

Quick dunks to tight ends Kyle Pitts and Hayden Hurst is an easy way to avoid being sacked, and running the ball with Cordarrelle Patterson will be a strategy the Falcons will move towards frequently.

However, the team also needs to utilize Russell Gage, who has played his best football in the past month. When the ball needs to go in Gage's direction, tackles Kaleb McGary and Jake Matthews will have to protect Ryan and give him enough time to get to his top targets.

On this episode of "Locked On Falcons," host Aaron Freeman is joined by Brian Peacock and Eric Crocker (Locked On 49ers) to preview the Week 15 matchup between the Falcons and 49ers.

They discuss whether the Falcons are legit playoff contenders, the supporting cast around Matt Ryan, their ability to block Bosa and other 49ers pass-rush threats, A.J. Terrell's ascendance, Jimmy Garoppolo's struggles, and if Deebo Samuel's versatility will create problems for the Falcons defense.

Aaron deals with all that and more on this episode of "Locked On Falcons." For more podcasts and information, join us here.

Published Dec 17, 2021

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.