Let’s take a look at Matt Ryan’s stats in his first four games as an NFL starter. In the home games against Detroit and Kansas City, he threw two touchdown passes and no picks and the Falcons went on to win both games. In the away games against division rivals Tampa Bay and Carolina, he threw zero touchdowns and two interceptions and the Falcons lost both contests. So going into the game against Green Bay, it stood to reason that Ryan would struggle at Lambeau Field against a tough Packers defense. That wasn’t the case, as Ryan threw for 194 yards, two touchdowns and one interception to give the Falcons the 27-24 victory over the defending NFC North Champions.
GREAT LINE PROTECTION
One of the reasons that Ryan was able to throw the ball effectively is that he got great protection from his offensive line. He was not sacked and was hit only once. Sam Baker, who was out last week due to a concussion, was back in the starting lineup and made a world of difference. Michael Turner also helped Ryan, running for 124 yards and one touchdown. In the two losses he was held to under 60 yards and Ryan was forced to make plays with his arm. But in the win against the Packers, Turner was able to run hard and that made it possible for Ryan to keep his pass attempts down; he attempted only 26 passes against Green Bay instead of the 41 he threw against Tampa Bay.
But it was the receivers that made Ryan look great, with a big catch by Michael Jenkins on a third-and-long play late in the third quarter, and a big game from Roddy White, who had eight receptions for 132 yards and one touchdown. The Ryan-White connection is becoming a force as the season rolls on, as White has two of Ryan’s four passing TDs and half of Ryan’s passing yards.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR?
I think it’s safe to say that Ryan is becoming a strong candidate for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. So far this season, Ryan has thrown for 863 yards, four touchdown and three interceptions. But it’s not so much the stats as it is the composure and command of the huddle he has shown whenever he takes the field. Joe Flacco of Baltimore is another candidate that could be in the running, but he threw two picks against Tennessee, which resulted in a loss for the Ravens. Ryan is improving each game; the only mistake he made in the win against the Packers was the interception he threw late in the third quarter. But it did not hurt the Falcons in the long run, and Ryan was able to lead the Falcons down the field to put the game out of reach. They have the Bears of Chicago on Sunday and a bye after that. With Ryan leading a 3-2 team on Sunday, expect the Georgia Dome to be rocking and rolling. If they win on Sunday, they will be looked at as a team on the rise in the NFL.
Jones can be reached at bjones@scoreatl.com.
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