Atlanta Falcons Retooled Offensive Line Will Help Them Win the Division
Atlanta is 3-2 with their current offensive line configuration, and had Mike Smith exercised better clock management, the Falcons could very easily be 5-0 with their current line configuration. The retooling has led to better pass- and run-blocking over the past five weeks and should help the Falcons win the division this season.
It also allowed the Falcons to use fewer max-protection packages versus teams with good pass rushing like the Browns and Cardinals despite the talent looking like it might be inferior due to draft status. Atlanta's current group of Ryan Schraeder, Jon Asamoah, James Stone, Justin Blalock and Jake Matthews has been cohesive and competent this year.
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This wasn't the original line, though. Atlanta's original plan for the offensive line consisted of Sam Baker starting at left tackle, Matthews at right tackle and Joe Hawley at center. But things changed as each player got hurt. Throughout the 12 games, Atlanta has used five different alignments. Luckily, this current alignment has been their most common one.
| NO, TB, @MIN | Jake Matthews | Justin Blalock | Joe Hawley | Jon Asamoah | Lamar Holmes |
| @CIN | Gabe Carimi | Justin Blalock | Joe Hawley | Jon Asamoah | Lamar Holmes |
| @NYG | Jake Matthews | Harland Gunn | Peter Konz | Jon Asamoah | Gabe Carimi |
| CHI | Jake Matthews | Justin Blalock | Peter Konz | Jon Asamoah | Gabe Carimi |
| @BAL | Jake Matthews | Justin Blalock | James Stone | Jon Asamoah | Gabe Carimi |
| DET, @TB, @CAR, CLE, AZ | Jake Matthews | Justin Blalock | James Stone | Jon Asamoah | Ryan Schraeder |
The Falcons will move forward through the final four games of the season with five offensive linemen on injured reserve including three starters and a pair of reserves—Baker, Hawley, Holmes, Mike Johnson and Konz. Hopefully no additional players get hurt. Should this line be able to hold up, the Falcons would have found at least seven components worth keeping for the future.
Improvement in Pass-Blocking
Through the first four games of the season, Matt Ryan was hit just seven times total. But since then, he's had trouble finding the time to throw the ball effectively. That's changed through the past five games, as he's been hit quite a few times less than in the stretch of three games that they used three different alignments.
With the first alignment from the chart above, Ryan was hit just three times through those three games. After that, he was hit an average of 6.7 times per game during the three-game stretch against New York, Chicago and Baltimore. The two different alignments and an injury to Matthews didn't help.
However, since the start of the Detroit game in London, the Falcons have been able to protect Ryan. The only real struggle they had was against Carolina. Take out that Carolina game when they allowed six hits, and the Falcons allowed eight total hits in four games.
| Matthews, Blalock, Hawley, Asamoah, Holmes | 115 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 27 | 82.2 |
| Carimi, Blalock, Hawley, Asamoah, Holmes | 46 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 78.8 |
| Matthews, Gunn, Konz, Asamoah, Carimi | 46 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 17 | 71.7 |
| Matthews, Blalock, Konz, Asamoah, Carimi | 90 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 30 | 73.3 |
| Matthews, Blalock, Stone, Asamoah, Schraeder | 196 | 7 | 8 | 41 | 56 | 77.7 |
With Ryan dropping to the ground less often, the Falcons have been able to win three of those five games. If they can continue to improve, winning out through the final four games is not only possible, but highly attainable. Atlanta needs to be able to hold off pass rushes of the Packers, Steelers, Saints and Panthers.
With how Matthews is finally healthy and Schraeder is looking like a competent starting right tackle, Atlanta should be able to handle speed off the edge. With how guards Jon Asamoah and Justin Blalock have been playing throughout the season, Atlanta should be able to handle power in the middle.
And as James Stone gets more comfortable making protection calls inside, the Falcons should be able to continue to jell as an overall unit. That should give Ryan the time he needs to burn defenses for the rest of the season. Atlanta has the potential to win out, but its line needs to continue the improvement it has shown the past few weeks.
Recommitment to the Run Game Helps
During the games when the Falcons used their original alignment, they were able to assist their pass-blocking by committing to the running game. By giving the running game an average of designed 25.7 designed attempts per game, it helped offset the defenses they faced from just pinning their ears back.
The alignments between those games and the current alignments only averaged designed 16 carries per game. And it wasn't even just that, the Falcons were unable to sustain a running game too. After averaging 110 yards per game during the first four games of the season on designed running attempts, the Falcons went through a stretch where they averaged 64.7 yards per game on those attempts.
That's not enough to help an offense. During their most recent stretch, the offensive line has allowed the Falcons to average 107 yards per game on designed running attempts during their three wins and 90 yards per game overall. This is something that should be focused on to help win more games.
| Offensive Line Grouping | Carries | Rush Yards | Carries/Game | Rush YPG |
| Matthews, Blalock, Hawley, Asamoah, Holmes | 77 | 371 | 25.7 | 123.7 |
| Carimi, Blalock, Hawley, Asamoah, Holmes | 16 | 69 | 16.0 | 69.0 |
| Matthews, Gunn, Konz, Asamoah, Carimi | 21 | 90 | 21.0 | 90.0 |
| Matthews, Blalock, Konz, Asamoah, Carimi | 27 | 104 | 13.5 | 52.0 |
| Matthews, Blalock, Stone, Asamoah, Schraeder | 128 | 450 | 25.6 | 90.0 |
The offensive line will continue to improve in the running game, as they continue to jell as a unit. The Falcons have been seeing continual improvement on the ground, and as long as they continue to run the ball between 25 and 30 times every week, they could win out.
A combination of a commitment to the running game, improvement from blocking up front and real, tangible improvement from the running backs could help the Falcons in their bid for the division. The best way for them to beat Carolina, New Orleans, Green Bay and Pittsburgh would be to take on those defenses head-on with the running game.
Establish the run. Control the clock. Win some games. That's how the Falcons can end up winning the division and saving head coach Mike Smith's job. Because without an improvement up front and more games won, the Falcons won't see a coaching change this offseason.
Long-Term Starters and Depth Have Finally Been Found
When it comes to the 2015 Atlanta Falcons, they currently have the following players under contract along their offensive line: tackles Sam Baker, Jake Matthews, Lamar Holmes and Ryan Schraeder, guards Jon Asamoah and Justin Blalock, and centers Peter Konz, Joe Hawley and James Stone.
Of that nine-man group, two of them should be cast aside after this season in Baker and Konz. Konz hasn't looked like a professional-caliber football player during his three seasons in Atlanta. He isn't worth cutting without giving a shot in training camp as a full-time offensive guard reserve.
Baker, on the other hand, should be cut with post-June 1st designation. He'd clear $4.5 million in cap space for 2015, which should be enough to sign the incoming rookie class. In 2016, he'd clear an additional $1.65 million while scrubbing his $9.3 million in 2017 and $7.4 million in 2018 completely from the books. That money could be used on those entire rookie contracts and then some.
So the Falcons will have essentially a starting offensive line heading into the 2015 season of Matthews, Blalock, Hawley, Asamoah and Schraeder with the backups of Holmes, Konz and Stone. They should definitely look for depth in training camp, but they have competent starting and depth options on the offensive line.
There's enough talent on the offensive line to where the Falcons can feel comfortable with Mike Tice developing the unit further. Regardless of who is head coach in 2015 and beyond, Tice should be a guy who remains on the staff. This unit has gone from a weakness to a strength because of Tice.
All stats used are from Pro Football Focus' Premium Stats (subscription required), ESPN.com, CFBStats or NFL.com. All combine and pro day info is courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com. All contract information is courtesy of Spotrac and Rotoworld.
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