EXCLUSIVE: Matt Ryan notches biggest win of young career
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) passes in the first quarter against the Saints. Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS — The victory over the Saints has to be the biggest of Matt Ryan’s young career.
In 2008, he had the big win at home over the Chicago Bears, when the team pulled it out in the final 12 seconds. There was also the big win at Green Bay his rookie season.
Last season, the Falcons beat the New York Jets on the road. They went on to reach the AFC championship game.
In an AJC exclusive, Ryan talked about some of the key plays and how he was going to sleep well, dreaming about that 19-play drive:
MATT RYAN, quarterback
WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT THE TEAM: “I definitely speaks to the character of the guys on our football team. We continue to fight and play hard. But that’s kind of been our M.O. for the last couple of years. We continue to battle regardless of what is going on out there. When you do that, it gives yourself a chance.”
ON GONZALEZ AND RODDY: “Just reading it out. That’s the biggest thing. Early on, the ball kind of found Tony and he was huge on the first touchdown drive. Later on, Roddy started to get some catches. We kind of spread the ball around to the backs as well. I thought we did a good job offensively of taking what they gave us all day and we were able to put some points in doing that.”
ON THE 19-PLAY DRIVE: “That was a great drive and it ate up a lot of clock in the second quarter. 10:38. With that said, I’m going to sleep pretty good tonight as a result of the 19 play drive.”
Get instant updates on Twitter at AJCFalcons and you can join the Facebook Fan page at AJC Falcons.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
317 comments Add your comment
JKA
September 28th, 2010
12:19 am
DLED, what’s going on at DT with Perea Jerry ? Looked like Babs and Peters played the entire game, and only saw P. Jerry on the play he went offside….I know the D wasn’t on the field that much, but has Peters moved ahead of P. Jerry permanently ? Beat him out or is P. Jerry just hurt ?
reckingball
September 28th, 2010
1:10 am
hiramsaint…… The Falcons did stop the saint’s passing attack.
The Falcon’s offense kept the ball out of Brees’s hand for the better part of the game.
cablebandit
September 28th, 2010
7:39 am
Falcons were lucky? Were they lucky when they drove down the field on the Saints (after Hartleys miss) and won with a 46 yard FG? Our kicker was better. Saints tried to stop the Falcons but they could not stop them. The only people yelling “lucky” are Saints fans…certainly not the Saints themselves. The game wasnt over after Hartleys miss…..what did the Saints do then? They got beat.
Breesus
September 28th, 2010
10:18 am
Only point I will make is that “luck” and “homey calls” and “injuries” were the only reason the Saints beat the Falcons last year according to Falcon fans on this very blog. If you don’t like the same thing being thrown in your face when the Falcons win, then own up to a loss and just say the Saints wins were WINS.
The pass interference penalty against Jabari Greer in OT on the Falcons 2nd possession was questionable, but I won’t whine about that being the reason the Saints lost. The Saints lost because they failed to execute and take advantage of the opportunities they had to win this game. It stinks, but it happens. Breesus will rebound and right the ship. I do think it’s funny that all the fans on here act like this win got them anywhere but 2-1 and a half game lead over the Saints. Only thing the Falcons have right now is bragging rights until December, see you in the GA Dome.
FanFromBeginning
September 28th, 2010
11:44 am
Good God…so much whinning from folks….berating Ryan, Smith, and saying how bad the falcons are. Simple fact, falcons won, they were the better team on Sunday. Sure, Brees is a great quarterback, but Ryan was the quarterback who led his team to a win, Peyton is a great coach, but Smith engineered the better game plan by winning, the Falcons better utilized the tools at their disposal than did the Saints. Accept it, get over it, and quit you incessant whinning and name calling. It is very childish.
DudsaSaint
September 28th, 2010
1:41 pm
Enter your comments hereYou Atlanta fans are the worst winners I’ve seen in my life.You win a football game and think you have a right to trash a city and fans. you idiots have done nothing. Atlanta is a dirty discusting ugly city . just like it’s popullaton. You people can BLOW ME!!!!!!!!!!!!
reckingball
September 28th, 2010
1:55 pm
Classy.
hiramsaint
September 28th, 2010
3:57 pm
rekingball—368 yds.- 3 td’s–30 of 38- c’mon man , give me something!
NoFanofGeaux
September 28th, 2010
4:39 pm
Hey SeenThisB4…
Geaux on You!
NoFanofGeaux
September 28th, 2010
4:41 pm
Alas…Hurricane Katrina didn’t finish the job as evidenced by a few bloggers on this site..
New Orleans Dirty Bird
September 28th, 2010
5:35 pm
Although we looked good… we need more weapons at the Reciever position. If the opposing tema takes out Tony and Roddy we are left with….??? Maybe Douglas will become what he once was before the injury? I know for sure Jenkins will be his same ol, taking up roster self. He hasnt done anything since….Never. We need to get another reciever to help Matt, Roddy and Tony. then that will open up the run game more. Just one player away from havng a really great offense.
Thoughts?? (Add %%% before your comments if you’re commenting on this)
Big Ray
September 28th, 2010
10:04 pm
SeenThisB4 ,
Watching you be such a sore loser is just so funny, and entirely too satisfying. Everything you’ve been posting has been the EXACT same type of stuff you’ve made fun of Falcons fans for: saying we didn’t beat you, y’all beat yourselves (hey, I thought SB winners didn’t do that, especially in their OWN DOME), saying we got lucky, complaining about refs, blah blah blah.
Good to know you are the epitomy of a total hypocrite, just as I thought you were. LOL….
Big Ray
September 28th, 2010
10:08 pm
Hiramsaint ,
Drew Brees was magnificent, though getting picked off by us twice hurt. Your team has thrived off of making a few really big plays every game, and forcing turnovers. The problem is that we didn’t let as many of those big plays happen (though there were some very nice pass plays with Lance Moore, and your special teams unit almost broke it open for you), and this time it was US that forced more turnovers.
Brees was Brees. The guy rarely misses (his completion percentage is off the charts), and we knew that coming into the game. But we also knew we’d stop y’all from running on us. That’s the only real issue y’all have on offense. You can’t run so well (though Pierre Thomas is a GOOD running back) and Brees ends up doing all the work through the air.
jarvis
September 29th, 2010
5:18 am
Really why is saint bandwagoners mad? because they lost? or because they lost to the falcons? i mean damn the falcon do own the saints. if u really look at it (and google it if u like). with this win we hold the all time lead over the saints by 10 !!! if u reallly want to talk lucky and about last year like saints got lucky in winning against falcons 2nd team offense due to injury and thrid team running back…….both times last year!!!!!! we could’ve won that game with redman but didnt so u want to talk luck start there. WE WON!!!!
jarvis
September 29th, 2010
5:34 am
and also i like to bring up the fact that saints are not the only team with bandwagoners. i’m a true die hard falcon fan. even we they was flat out terrible i still supported and only cheered the falcons on year after year. i never waited until they started showing signs of a promising team. every jersey they had i got. i was a die hardandre rison , deon sanders, jesse tuggle, brain jordan, chuck smith, patrick kerney, and many others fan. actually i love every team that comes out of georgia. however i do not support by going to they games because i’m overseas in the effort to keep soldiers safe but if i was home in atlanta trust me i would be at every game not watching it on tv having the other teams out numbering falcons support. with that being said please support them dirty birds if u a true fan and if they lose their winning ways still support if u a true fan. trust me i remember the comments before mike smith and tm came to town and after drafting matt ryan which many wanted dorsey
DJ
September 29th, 2010
7:55 am
Your blog is the best. Very informative. i would have never known about the rebroadcast, had I not tuned into your blog. We have the best NFL coverage in the country.
Jim
September 29th, 2010
9:46 am
Good job Ryan, keep your eyes on the prize and with better players around you a Superbowl is definitely in your future.