Everything indicates that Matthew Bergeron has earned his place as starting left guard with the Atlanta Falcons. The rookie was in uniform to face the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he didn’t see any action in the game, like the other starters on the team.
Syracuse’s second-round pick moved up in rank after losing Matt Hennessey to a knee injury Aug. 16 for the season.
Another question on the Falcons offensive line is who will fill the backup tackle position behind starters Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary. If Jalen Mayfield, who can also play as a guard, doesn’t convince his coaches, the Falcons could seek help after the latest cuts across the NFL next week.
In action, the Falcons were completely outplayed 24-0 in the last of two preseason games between the two teams. Starter Kenny Pickett led two offensive streaks for touchdowns from Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. The second-year quarterback completed all 4 passes for 86 yards during his brief appearance in the game.
Falcons coach Arthur Smith held off his starters, and his substitutes were outflanked on both sides of the ball when faced with Pittsburgh’s first-team units. As starter Desmond Ridder looked on, backup Taylor Heinicke was tackled by TJ Watt for a 7-yard loss on Atlanta’s first possession. The Falcons open their season Sept. 10 with a visit from the Carolina Panthers.
2023-08-25 02:43:22
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