Bill Callahan was brought to Atlanta for one big reason: make the Falcons tougher at the line of scrimmage. Three games into the season, the early returns are showing up in a major way, and center Ryan Neuzil looks like one of the biggest winners.
Entering Week 4, the Falcons lead the NFL in pressure rate allowed. That’s a strong sign the offensive line is functioning well as a unit, but Neuzil’s individual jump stands out even more.
According to PFF, he has given up just one pressure through three games. Among 32 qualified centers, he ranks third with a 71.6 overall grade, while his 65.4 pass-blocking grade sits 11th at the position and his 70.5 run-blocking grade is fifth.
That’s a notable step forward for a player who already made a real leap in 2025. After Drew Dalman left for Chicago, Neuzil stepped in and started all 17 games, finishing sixth among centers with a 77.4 PFF grade.
Pass protection was the one area that still needed work. Last season, his 59.3 pass-blocking grade ranked ninth worst among centers. Now, under Callahan, that flaw has started to fade into the background.
Atlanta didn’t hire Callahan to tear the line down and rebuild it. The Falcons already had continuity, and they kept plenty of it intact. Jake Matthews, Matthew Bergeron, Neuzil and Chris Lindstrom are all back from last year’s starting group, giving Callahan a strong base to work with.
Callahan made it clear this summer that his goal was to build on what was already there.
"Coach Led did a phenomenal job here when he was here," Callahan said this summer. "He's got the line rolling.
They're physical. They have a great attitude about themselves.
They did a great job producing in the run game. So, I'm just here to maintain what they've done and improve upon it."
So far, that formula seems to be working. Neuzil, a 29-year-old who went from undrafted free agent to full-time starter, now looks like a player whose rise may still have another level to it. Three games is a tiny sample, sure, but the signs are real: Callahan may be helping him move from dependable starter to one of the better centers in the league.
In Other News...
Michael Penix Jr. Just Added More Heat To Falcons-Saints Rivalry
Michael Penix Jr. is back in the mix for Atlanta after a strong showing against the Green Bay Packers, and now the Falcons quarterback has added a little more edge to a rivalry that already carries plenty of history. Ahead of Monday nights matchup with New Orleans, Penix made a critical comment about the Saints, giving an already charged NFC South meeting a little extra bite.
New Orleans comes in led by Tyler Shough and leaning on a pass-heavy offense, while Atlanta has been winning plenty of its recent battles on the ground. With Penix reasserting himself after his return and the Saints taking a different approach on offense, the setup for Monday night feels bigger than a division game, and the latest jab only makes the buildup more interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Face Another Saints Threat That Could Decide Monday Night
The Falcons defense carried plenty of weight in their recent win, and there is little margin for a slowdown with Monday Night Football bringing another familiar test. New Orleans has enough passing-game talent to make life difficult, and Atlantas best path again starts with limiting the Saints top targets and forcing the offense to work for every clean look downfield.
Chris Olave will draw attention, but Juwan Johnson has emerged as a particularly important piece in recent games and could become the kind of chain-moving threat that tilts the matchup. Atlanta has linebackers with coverage ability, and how well they handle Johnson in the middle of the field may go a long way toward deciding whether the Falcons can keep this one in the kind of defensive game they prefer. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Created A Real Roster Squeeze For Josh Woods
The Falcons added another name to the linebacker mix this week, bringing in former third-round pick Brian Asamoah II to the practice squad after a tryout. Asamoah has made most of his NFL impact on special teams, which is exactly where Atlanta is looking for competition as it tries to sort out the back end of the roster and keep enough coverage units intact for the stretch run.
Josh Woods now finds himself in a tighter battle than he was a week ago. The veteran has been handling a special teams role, but the door has opened for Asamoah to push for that same job, and the situation could get even more crowded if JD Bertrand returns from injured reserve soon. [Read more 🡒]