Falcons LISTEN: Taking Offense To The O-Line

Locked On Falcons: Why Can’t the Falcons Figure Out the Offensive Line? Plus Q&A

Jeremy Brener | Aug 18, 2021

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked 41 times in 2020, marking the third consecutive year in which Ryan has been sacked 40+ times.

The 41 sacks were 11th-most in the NFL last season and it was likely part of why the Falcons won just four games last season.

In recent years, the team has prioritized offensive linemen in drafts, selecting offensive tackle Jake Matthews in the first round in 2014. Matthews has been a staple in the Falcons offense in the second half of Ryan's career, but outside of that left tackle spot, the offensive line has been a carousel of average to below-average protectors.

In 2019, the team doubled down on high-end O-Line talent in the draft, taking guard Chris Lindstrom and tackle Kaleb McGary in the first round, but both of them have not lived up to that first round hype.

The gambles have plagued the Falcons for years and it prohibits them from advancing back to that next step of becoming a great football team.

On this episode of "Locked On Falcons," host Aaron Freeman answers listener questions about the team's offensive line woes, backup quarterback situation and looks at the best-case scenario for them in 2021.

He goes into details as to why the Falcons offensive line hasn't been "figured out" over the years, which leads him towards a discussion of the team's future and the potential crossroads the team is heading towards.

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

CONTINUE READING: Falcons' Fowler: Goals, Loyalty and Teammates

Published Aug 18, 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.