A fast start. It’s something that every NFL team wants, because it just makes winning an NFL game easier. The Falcons were able to do it in Week 1 against Detroit, when Matt Ryan threw his first NFL pass to Michael Jenkins for a touchdown and the birds never looked back. On Sunday they achieved the same thing, with Ryan leading the offense to a 24-point first half en route to a 38-14 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
MANAGING THE GAME
The first three series for Ryan and the offense did not start well, with each series going three-and-out. However, on the last drive of the quarter, set up by Ryan’s 30-yard strike to Jerious Norwood, Turner bowls up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown. Ryan gives credit to the offensive line for giving him great protection and making holes for the two running backs.
“They played phenomenal up front,” Ryan said after the game. “I don’t think I got hit all day. They played hard together.”
The next time the Falcons got the ball at the beginning of the second quarter, Ryan made what was probably the best throw of his young career when Roddy White beat the coverage downfield and Ryan found him for a 70-yard touchdown pass. That was the beginning of the end for the Chiefs.
“I thought that Matt Ryan did a nice job,” head coach Mike Smith said about the big play. “He saw the coverage and was able to complete the ball to Roddy. So I thought that was a big play.”
Ryan didn’t have another touchdown pass but managed the offense well and avoided mistakes. His final numbers were 12-of-18, 192 yards and one touchdown, which results in a quarterback rating of 120.6. Not bad for his third NFL start.
KEEP GETTING BETTER
Ryan struggled against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, throwing two interceptions in the first half, but against the Chiefs he was able to counter what the defense was throwing at him.
“There were a couple of times they shifted in and out of things,” Ryan said about the Chiefs defensive formations. “It helps the learning the curve.”
Next up for Ryan are two consecutive away games with Carolina and Green Bay. Both defenses are aggressive and must be licking their chops knowing they are facing a rookie quarterback. But Ryan knows that if they are able to start fast, it will make life much easier for him.
“It’s huge,” Ryan said on starting the game fast. “What I found out in the NFL is that it is so difficult to score. It’s huge to get out to an early lead.”
Jones can be reached at bjones@scoreatl.com.
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