Atlanta Falcons mum on Jake Matthews injury
By Cory Buck
Lost in the wild finish that saw the Atlanta Falcons start the season with a win over the New Orleans Saints was the injury of starting tackle and sixth overall pick, Jake Matthews, whose status is still unknown. Matthews suffered an apparent ankle injury in the second quarter of the team’s Week 1 match and did not return. Coaches were able to at least give a timeline of when the news might become a bit clearer.
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“I don’t have any word,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, when asked about the Matthews injury. “He wasn’t able to return the game. That’ll be something that over the next couple of days we will be able to update you guys on, probably Wednesday.”
Falcons fans should be encouraged to know that Matthews did return to the bench after leaving the field and he wasn’t wearing a boot or using crutches, which indicates it might be a mild ankle sprain. The rookie could still miss some time, but this doesn’t appear to be a season-ending mishap.
The Falcons slotted Gabe Carimi into Matthews’ place, and Carimi was charged with the only sack allowed by the Falcons that day. Still, for more than a half of play, QB Matt Ryan stood tall and led his team to victory behind this offensive line. It stands to reason the team could once again pull off that feat should Matthews require rest in Week 2.