The Atlanta Falcons are going to have to improve on back to back 7-10 win seasons this year to get any respect.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently ranked the Falcons’ offensive line as the No. 7 unit in the NFL. They actually moved them down two spots from where they finished the season.
Atlanta’s offensive line benefits hugely from the most run-heavy offense in football, but since that’s not going anywhere, they belong at the sharp end of the rankings. Rookie Matthew Bergeron has the chance to upgrade the biggest problem spot on the line last season. None of the three players who played significant snaps at left guard had a PFF grade above 75.2.
Sam Monson, PFF
PFF and its grades are subjective of course, and this is a subjective list, but it comes from… PFF.
According to PFF, Chris Lindstrom was the highest graded player in the NFL at any position. Kaleb McGary was the No. 8 offensive lineman. Only the Philadelphia Eagles had two players in the top ten, Jason Kelce at No. 6 and Lane Johnson at No. 9.
The Eagles check in on the list at No. 1.
Drew Dalman finished the season strong and ended up as the No. 14 center in the NFL, and left tackle Jake Matthews was the No. 16 offensive tackle.
Monson admits second-round pick Matthew Bergeron has a chance to upgrade the left guard position, but that’s a question mark. But this is the same guy who moved the Indianapolis Colts from No. 18 to No. 10 because they “should have been much better.”
Should have?
If only teams could count on going to the playoffs on games they should have won.
None of the Falcons’ left guards graded better than 75.1 last year?
OK.
All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson hasn’t graded above 70 the last two years.
Just above the Falcons are the Dallas Cowboys led by offensive guard Zack Martin. This is what Monson writes of Martin:
Zack Martin was arguably the best guard in the NFL while Quenton Nelson was at his best, but now it’s not even an argument. He’s a dominant player at the position.
Sam Monson, PFF
Chris Lindstrom would like a word.
As stated, Lindstrom was the highest graded player in the NFL at any position by Monson’s employer. Whether he’s better than Martin is a subjective measure, but by any measure, there’s an argument.
The Falcons’ offensive line gets dinged for playing in a run-heavy offense.
However, they were able to run the ball effectively without a complimentary passing game.
Since the Falcons haven’t been to the playoffs since 2017, their players get looked over despite individual performances.
Once they start stacking up wins the way the offensive line stacks pancakes, the recognition will come.
