FLOWERY BRANCH – The Falcons' revamped offensive line is the top ranked unit in the league after four games, according to profootballfocus.com.
The improvement has been powered by offseason picks in center Mike Person, right guard Chris Chester and left guard Andy Levitre, couple with a massive leap forward by second-year left tackle Jake Matthews. Right tackle Ryan Schraeder is the lowest graded player of the group.
Here’s what profootballfocus.com had to say about the Falcons’ line, which is under the direction of Chris Morgan, who’s in his first season as the head offensive line coach:
"1. Atlanta Falcons (26th, 2014 ranking)
"Pass blocking rank: 4th
"Run blocking rank: 2nd
"Penalties rank: 6th
"Stud: What a difference a year makes. He was, quite frankly, awful last year as he played through injuries. But in 2015, Jake Matthews (+5.6) looks like one of the better linemen in the league.
"Dud: The only player with a negative grade is right tackle Ryan Schraeder (-0.1), and you can thank J.J. Watt for that.
"Summary: What a turnaround. Something you rarely see, Atlanta has morphed its scheme and personnel to achieve immediate results. Mike Person has been a revelation at center, and Chris Chester has proven to be a tremendous free agent pickup. Even Andy Levitre, who looked spent in Tennessee, has fit in seamlessly."
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