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FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcons rookie left tackle Jake Matthews has been struggling while trying to play through a high left ankle sprain this season.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
“It’s been doing good,” Matthews told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday. “They told me Week 1, when it happened, that a high ankle sprain is something that you’re going to deal with the whole season. It probably won’t feel good until the end of February. But it has been getting a lot better. I feel like it’s a lot more manageable now. It’s not too bad.”
Matthews has been called for 10 penalties while favoring the injury. He's rated as the 55th (last) left tackle in the league that has played at least 60 percent of his team's snaps by Pro Football Focus.
“It’s a long season, but I’m learning,” Matthews said. “I feel like I’m getting better every week. Especially, with the offensive line stabilizing. I feel like we are executing a lot better. We have to keep that going.”
The Falcons selected Matthews with the sixth overall pick in the draft out of Texas A&M. He was slated to play right tackle, but a season-ending knee injury to Sam Baker in the second exhibition game forced a move over to left tackle.
In the season opener against New Orleans he suffered the high ankle sprain. Veteran Gabe Carimi replaced Matthews during the Saints game and started the second game against Cincinnati. Matthews returned for the Minnesota game and hasn’t missed a start since.
It's been a bumpy start to his career.
“Every week, they are rolling in some stud that you’ve got to block who’s a professional pass rusher, who lives and breathes to pass rush," Matthews said. "It’s a challenge. It’s fun. It’s exciting. It’s what I signed up for.”
Things have settled down along the line and the Falcons are set to start their same unit for the third straight game.
“We have a front five that’s kind of been in synch for the last few weeks,” Matthew said. “It hasn’t been changing up as much. We just have to keep building on these good weeks we are having and start putting some wins together.”
FALCONS FAN MAILBAG: We take your questions from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday.
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