Analyzing The Offensive Line for the Chargers' Game

[Tim Mazetti]

Elijah Wilkinson has been ruled out of Sunday's game. Who slots into his spot at left guard? 

Nov 04, 2022 at 03:20 PM

Tori McElhaney

Falcons Beat Reporter/Analyst

https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-daily-offensive-line-shakeup-ahead-of-week-9-chargers

 

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Since Drew Dalman was named the starting center in Week 1, Matt Hennessy has been quietly working for an opportunity to arise for him to make his way back to the starting offensive line.

After one of the most back-and-forth, competitive position battles of the preseason at center, the decision was made to go with Dalman over Hennessy, who started every game in 2021 at the position.

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Since then, the Falcons have been cross training Hennessy at center and guard in order to - as Arthur Smith put it on Friday - "build depth and versatility" not just for the Falcons offensive line, but for Hennessy as an individual, too.

For what it's worth, Hennessy is no stranger to the position.

In his rookie year (when Alex Mack was still in Atlanta), Hennessy took a lot of training camp reps at left guard as he battled it out with James Carpenter at the position. At the time, Carpenter beat him out for the starting spot at left guard, but an injury to Mack late in the year brought Hennessy out for his first career start at center.

So, picking up the left guard position again two years later wasn't a huge undertaking for Hennessy.

However, returning to the game field is not something Hennessy has had an open window to do for a while as the Falcons original starting five has played well together. And productively at that. According to our Nerdy Birds report, the Falcons are the first team in NFL history to have four players with over 250 rushing yards through the first eight games of the season.

That's a feat that doesn't happen without this offensive line.

With Dalman at center and Elijah Wilkinson at left guard, the Falcons new starters on the offensive line were pulling their weight and performing well together. That'll change on Sunday, though, as Wilkinson has been ruled out of Week 9's home game against the Chargers. He has a knee injury and did not participate in practice at all this week.

It was interesting, though, to see that it was Hennessy taking the first-team reps at left guard during the periods of practice open to the media this week. That's a shift from what it was earlier in the season when the Falcons faced Seattle. That week saw Wilkinson miss a couple practices plus the game against the Seahawks as he dealt with a personal matter. Atlanta chose to start Colby Gossett at left guard that week, after Gossett battled it out with Chuma Edoga for the position. Gossett played well, too, against Seattle. It was a game in which Cordarrelle Patterson ran for a career-high 141 rushing yards.

According to Hennessy, though, this has been in the works for a while.

"It's something that we've been doing since Drew was named the starter in Week 1," Hennessy said on Friday. "I've been working on position flexibility, playing both guard spots as well. I've chipped away and felt like I've made progress playing guard throughout the last six or seven weeks."

He has a chance to take another step in that progress to return to the field this week. Though Smith wouldn't name Hennessy as the starting left guard on Friday after practice, it does feel like Hennessy is trending in that direction with Wilkinson out.

 

As Hennessy explained, this is a move he's been preparing to make for weeks at this point. It wasn't a decision that the Falcons came to in the absence of Wilkinson this week.

Hennessy said those weeks were spent regaining a specific muscle memory needed to play the position, and essentially breaking the old muscle memory of playing center. Though only a few inches separate the positions in terms of actual space, it's a different job entirely. There are different steps to make, and different assignments to take note of.

"I've definitely been gaining more comfort there over the last few weeks," Hennessy said. "It's something I'm confident about."

Asked when that confidence really came through for him, Hennessy said it was this week when he got to actually slot in between Dalman and Jake Matthews at practice.

"I think it has to do with chemistry playing between Drew and Jake next to me. Making sure I'm communicating well with them, any kind of combination blocks we have together, having a good awareness of where each other are at," he said. "It's something I'm confident about because we've made progress this week."

Since losing the starting job at center to Dalman in Week 1, a chance to return to the starting offensive line is an opportunity Hennessy hasn't really had. An opportunity potentially stands in front of him now in Week 9.

As Hennessy explained, this is a move he's been preparing to make for weeks at this point. It wasn't a decision that the Falcons came to in the absence of Wilkinson this week.

Hennessy said those weeks were spent regaining a specific muscle memory needed to play the position, and essentially breaking the old muscle memory of playing center. Though only a few inches separate the positions in terms of actual space, it's a different job entirely. There are different steps to make, and different assignments to take note of.

"I've definitely been gaining more comfort there over the last few weeks," Hennessy said. "It's something I'm confident about."

Asked when that confidence really came through for him, Hennessy said it was this week when he got to actually slot in between Dalman and Jake Matthews at practice.

"I think it has to do with chemistry playing between Drew and Jake next to me. Making sure I'm communicating well with them, any kind of combination blocks we have together, having a good awareness of where each other are at," he said. "It's something I'm confident about because we've made progress this week."

Since losing the starting job at center to Dalman in Week 1, a chance to return to the starting offensive line is an opportunity Hennessy hasn't really had. An opportunity potentially stands in front of him now in Week 9.

[Mister pudding]

Oh crap... run to the right side 😂

[Tim Mazetti]

10 minutes ago, Tim Mazetti said:

Since losing the starting job at center to Dalman in Week 1, a chance to return to the starting offensive line is an opportunity Hennessy hasn't really had

He sounds fired up to do things better. I will be watching him.

[Killing Floor]

The fact that the team is training Henny to pick up the position instead of crutching with Mayfield is confidence building as a fan. 

[falconidae]

31 minutes ago, Killing Floor said:

The fact that the team is training Henny to pick up the position instead of crutching with Mayfield is confidence building as a fan. 

Mayfield is on IR.

[Mid-Nite-Toker]

So, Gossett will start Sunday?

What happened to Wilkinson, I heard he played every snap last week?

[Killing Floor]

48 minutes ago, falconidae said:

Mayfield is on IR.

He sucks at the sport of football. He’s going to remain on IR until it makes sense to move him. His diagnosis is that he’s a saloon door. 
 

As long as Mayfield is on IR we’re in a position to compete. 

[Tim Mazetti]

14 minutes ago, Mid-Nite-Toker said:

So, Gossett will start Sunday?

What happened to Wilkinson, I heard he played every snap last week?

Knee. Interesting isn't it?

[Tim Mazetti]

14 minutes ago, Killing Floor said:

He sucks at the sport of football. He’s going to remain on IR until it makes sense to move him. His diagnosis is that he’s a saloon door. 
 

As long as Mayfield is on IR we’re in a position to compete. 

[falconidae]

1 hour ago, Killing Floor said:

He sucks at the sport of football. He’s going to remain on IR until it makes sense to move him. His diagnosis is that he’s a saloon door. 
 

As long as Mayfield is on IR we’re in a position to compete. 

Or, he's a young talented , but raw player, who at worst is cheap depth and might still develop into a good player.

Takes some players time to get acclimated to the NFL, so many posters here want to write off a player after a bad rookie year. He probably gets another year, or at least another training camp to prove he can play.
 

[Mid-Nite-Toker]

2 hours ago, Tim Mazetti said:

Knee. Interesting isn't it?

It definitely wasn't his best showing last Sunday.  I guess he played through it.

[Herr Doktor]

7 hours ago, Killing Floor said:

He sucks at the sport of football. He’s going to remain on IR until it makes sense to move him. His diagnosis is that he’s a saloon door. 
 

As long as Mayfield is on IR we’re in a position to compete. 

[Herr Doktor]

6 hours ago, falconidae said:

Or, he's a young talented , but raw player, who at worst is cheap depth and might still develop into a good player.

Takes some players time to get acclimated to the NFL, so many posters here want to write off a player after a bad rookie year. He probably gets another year, or at least another training camp to prove he can play.
 

Mayfield has a shot at Tackle I'd say.  I think McGary will be overpaid elsewhere.

[_bc_]

i always felt henny was a decent run blocker ... he just got trucked by DTs one-on-one last year

lets hope he's put a little sand in his pants since then

[celtiksage]

11 hours ago, falconidae said:

Or, he's a young talented , but raw player, who at worst is cheap depth and might still develop into a good player.

Takes some players time to get acclimated to the NFL, so many posters here want to write off a player after a bad rookie year. He probably gets another year, or at least another training camp to prove he can play.
 

I bet he gets as long as McGary did, 4 years.

[falconidae]

Just now, celtiksage said:

I bet he gets as long as McGary did, 4 years.

Probably, his cap hits are 1.1 mil, 1.4, 1.6 next 3 years. That's basically NFL minimum wage. 

[PokerSteve]

19 minutes ago, celtiksage said:

I bet he gets as long as McGary did, 4 years.

AS likes Mayfield. A lot. I don't know for sure he's a Sacred Cow, but I'm very confident he's a VHRB. Meaning a Very Highly Regarded Bovine. He will get at least 4 years. 🥰

[Killing Floor]

24 minutes ago, PokerSteve said:

VHRB

I think I could use this at work!  

[Herr Doktor]

1 hour ago, PokerSteve said:

AS likes Mayfield. A lot. I don't know for sure he's a Sacred Cow, but I'm very confident he's a VHRB. Meaning a Very Highly Regarded Bovine. He will get at least 4 years. 🥰

[Vandy]

16 hours ago, falconidae said:

Or, he's a young talented , but raw player, who at worst is cheap depth and might still develop into a good player.

Takes some players time to get acclimated to the NFL, so many posters here want to write off a player after a bad rookie year. He probably gets another year, or at least another training camp to prove he can play.
 

I’m sure this same guy was one of many in here busting Isaiah Oliver’s chops in his 2nd season as well. 

[GrimeyKidd]

6 hours ago, _bc_ said:

i always felt henny was a decent run blocker ... he just got trucked by DTs one-on-one last year

lets hope he's put a little sand in his pants since then

Hopefully we see some double teams since they both seem weak one v one

[ATLSlobberKnockers]

Henn and Dalman side by side scares me. Hope Im wrong

[Tim Mazetti]

22 hours ago, Killing Floor said:

I think I could use this at work!  

Or at the Beach? Oh, that would be Whale.

[Killing Floor]

0 sacks. Zero. And Suh wants a job. He had 6 last year.