Falcons' Jake Matthews Is Proving to Be a Difference-Maker on the Blind Side

Rookie left tackle Jake Matthews is already making an impact for the Atlanta Falcons. 

After three weeks of play, the Falcons are 2-1 overall. It just so happens the two victories were the games Matthews manned quarterback Matt Ryan's blind side. While a rookie offensive lineman isn't the sole reason behind winning or losing each game, his presence in the lineup is a drastic improvement over the other healthy veterans on the roster. 

When the Falcons selected Matthews with the sixth overall pick in May's NFL draft, the plan was to play him at right tackle with veteran Sam Baker on the left side. 

Unfortunately, Baker suffered a season-ending knee injury during the preseason, which forced Matthews to make an earlier-than-expected transition to left tackle. 

The rookie took the change in stride and wasn't overwhelmed during his first start. But Matthews suffered a sprained ankle during the Falcons' 37-34 overtime victory against the New Orleans Saints. He was forced to sit out the following week against the Cincinnati Bengals. 

However, a drastic change in the team's offense was seen upon Matthews' return to the starting lineup. 

Despite the lingering injury, the Falcons coaching staff wasn't afraid to put its first-year blocker on an island against the Buccaneers pass-rushers. The Falcons dropped back to pass 26 times when Matthews was in the game. They rarely slid coverage to his side and only provided help from a tight end or a chip block from a running back five times.

For all intents and purposes, Matthews was on his own at left tackle against the rival Buccaneers, and he proved up to the task. 

The Falcons left tackle didn't give up a sack or a quarterback hit. He was only credited with two quarterback hurries by Pro Football Focus (subscription required). 

Matthews' level of play can easily be highlighted during three of the four touchdowns the Falcons offense scored with the tackle still in the lineup. 

The first touchdown came courtesy of a nine-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Ryan to wide receiver Julio Jones. 

Prior to the pass, Buccaneers defensive end Larry English literally beat Matthews to the punch by shooting his hands first and disengaging from the rookie. As seen in the picture below, the left tackle maintained good balance, kept his feet moving and never got out of position. Matthews immediately reestablished his hands and ran English wide past Ryan.

NFL Game Rewind

The quarterback had plenty of time to step up in the pocket and deliver the pass to Jones thanks to Matthews' protection. 

The rookie's best block Thursday night came during Devin Hester's 20-yard reverse for a touchdown. 

Matthews took a proper angle and was already engaged with the play-side linebacker once Hester received the handoff. The offensive tackle then drove said linebacker 17 yards downfield and only relented once Hester crossed goal line. 

During the Falcons' third offensive touchdown, Matthews' ability to anchor against a more physical pass-rusher was on display. 

NFL Game Rewind

This was one of the rare cases where the Falcons actually slid the protection toward Matthews' side. He didn't need the help.

The Buccaneers' Scott Solomon initially jammed the tight end off the line of scrimmage. Matthews waited patiently in his pass set and stoned Solomon with his initial punch. 

Ryan never had to worry about pressure and delivered a 40-yard strike to Jones. 

Even as a rookie, Matthews' technique and athleticism are superior to the other healthy offensive tackles on the Falcons. 

The decision Atlanta's coaching staff needs to make is which veteran is the more viable solution at right tackle. Matthews will lock down one side, but there is still some question as to whether Gabe Carimi or Lamar Holmes should be on the strong side. 

The Bengals' defensive front is far more ferocious than the Buccaneers', and Carimi played well in Matthews' absence. Carimi graded higher than any other player on the Falcons offense while being asked to play on an island since it was more important to slide the protection to Holmes' side to block Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap. 

Holmes started against the Buccaneers, but he still had a poor performance during the blowout victory. 

Player	Overall	Run Blocking	Pass Blocking
Jake Matthews	minus-0.3	minus-1.0	minus-0.1
Lamar Holmes	minus-4.6	minus-4.7	0.4
Gabe Carimi	minus-4.9	minus-3.8	0.8

Matthews is one of four rookie offensive tackles starting at the moment. Of the four, despite missing one game due to injury, the Falcons' blindside protector is the second-highest graded. 

With Matthews on the left side of the line, the Falcons are a better overall offense, because the coaching staff can hide any deficiencies at right tackle by providing help to whomever is starting on the strong side. 

The rookie from Texas A&M will surely experience a few bumps along the way, but he has the natural ability and technique to be a stalwart on the blind side for years to come.