FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The idea that Jake Matthews is human and might miss this weekend’s game is something Chris Lindstrom is going to have to get adjusted to.

“Human? Yeah, I don’t know about that,” said Lindstrom, the Atlanta Falcons’ seventh-year right guard. “We always joke with Jake that he’s the Terminator.”

Matthews, the 12th-year left tackle who missed the second half of last week’s 24-14 win over Buffalo due to an ankle injury, has started 183 straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL, but did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. The Falcons will have to declare Matthews’ official status for the game on Friday, but they weren’t offering any clues about his availability early in the week, and Lindstrom is not ready to give up yet.

Jake Matthews (ankle) isn’t out here which isn’t a surprise.

— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) October 16, 2025

“You don’t get to 183 without having to overcome a lot of challenges,” Lindstrom said. “He’s got a lot of pride in it. I don’t think, in terms of being a professional, anybody is better than Jake. I have seen him overcome so many things in our seven years together. He’s attacking this like he attacks everything.”

The last time Matthews did not start a game for the Falcons was September of 2014, but many of his teammates weren’t aware of his streak until it was in danger.

“That’s insane,” wide receiver Drake London said. “Jake is an incredible person. He’s an amazing dude. I need to follow his rule book, though: just stay incognito and do my job to the best of my ability.”

Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. called the number “crazy.”

“The way he takes care of his body, the person that he is, it’s like a freak of nature,” Penix said. “Whatever he’s doing, everybody should want that.”

Matthews has not been doing anything magical to prolong his availability, he said. He gives most of the credit to good genes. His father, Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, played 19 seasons in the NFL, starting 308 games, including 229 in a row from 1987 to 2002. That’s the current record for an offensive lineman. Quarterback Brett Favre holds the overall record at 297 games.

“I’ve talked to my dad about it, and he was the same way. He’s like, ‘I’m doing the same things all the other guys are doing,’” Matthews said. “We’ve just been blessed. I’d love to take credit for it and say I’m this special person, but I really think God has blessed me with an ability to heal and keep going at it.”

Matthews hasn’t spoken to the media since the Bills game, but he talked with The Athletic about his streak last week. The Falcons picked Matthews ninth overall in the 2014 draft. Since then, he has played 12,577 snaps, more than any offensive player in the league over that span.

“I’m just trying to do my job, man,” he said.

When Matthews sprained his PCL during the 2016 season, team doctors told him he’d miss three to four weeks, but he didn’t miss a game.

“I hate the feeling of not being out there,” he said. “I want to be someone the guys can count on.”

If Matthews can’t be out there, Atlanta likely will go with Michael Jerrell at left tackle. Jerrell, who was acquired in a late-August trade with Seattle, finished the Buffalo game after Matthews was injured.

“There are always going to be things you look at and try to critique, but he knew all the play calls, he knew everything that was going on,” Penix said of Jerrell. “He was out there confident. There is always room to grow, but I do feel like he played a good game. He’s been nothing but great since he got here. He has worked extremely hard.”

It was only Jerrell’s second game at left tackle in the NFL. A sixth-round pick in 2024, he played in 10 games, starting three, for the Seahawks last year. Atlanta traded for Jerrell after the season-ending injury to right tackle Kaleb McGary. The Falcons entered the offseason with Storm Norton as their third tackle, but Norton started the season on injured reserve due to an ankle injury. He is expected to return this season, but the Falcons have not opened his 21-day window to return to the active roster.

With Elijah Wilkinson starting at right tackle, Jerrell has assumed the role of swing tackle on game days, meaning he’s responsible for filling in at left or right tackle if an injury requires it.

“It was a little crazy Sunday,” he said. “It’s hard because you’re trying to play catch-up with everybody who is already in their groove. I feel like I did OK. I could have done better. I’m always looking to improve.”

If Matthews is unavailable, Atlanta could juggle its offensive line and put guard Matthew Bergeron at tackle, but offensive coordinator Zac Robinson indicated that Jerrell would keep the left tackle spot in that scenario.

“We will monitor it, but we feel good with Michael there,” Robinson said.

Rookie Jack Nelson, a sixth-round pick, also is an option.

“He’s been healthy and out on the practice field, and he continues to get better,” Robinson said of Nelson. “We’ll continue to let it play out the rest of the week.”