Atlanta Falcons: Ryan takes no-huddle clues from Manning
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has never been to Peyton Manning’s quarterback camp.
“I’d love to go at some point,” Ryan said Thursday.
But you could never tell that based on how Ryan has operated the Falcons’ no-huddle attack since the second game of his rookie season. The attack has grown in complexity as the team has added more plays and formations each season.
While the origin of the Falcons’ no-huddle has been traced to Boomer Esiason and Sam Wyche during their Cincinnati Bengals days of the late 1980s, Ryan acknowledges that he has copied some of Manning’s style and movements.
“Every quarterback watches him,” Ryan said. “I’ve certainly watched him a lot. As far as emulating him, you have to be your own player. But in terms of what they do at the line of scrimmage — what he’s done historically for a long time — we try to bring some of that into what we’ve done in the no-huddle.”
The Falcons do not rely as heavily on their no-huddle attack. It’s just a part of their offensive package. New offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter ran 11 of 54 plays (20.3 percent) plays out of the no-huddle against the Chiefs and used it on two drives. The first drive ended with a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Julio Jones and the second stalled at Kansas City’s 3-yard line and Matt Bryant added a 21-yard field goal.
With Ryan and Manning on the field, Monday night’s nationally televised battle could turn into a duel between no-huddle offenses at the Georgia Dome.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
“There is really nobody better at it,” Ryan said of Manning. “He is as good in the no-huddle really as anybody that’s ever played. It’s fun to watch. I think every quarterback, at one point or another, has turned on his tape and tried to pick up some of the things they are doing. He’s one of the best.”
Manning is making a comeback after being away from football for 20 months because of neck surgeries. After parting ways with the Indianapolis Colts, he signed with the Denver Broncos.
In the team’s season opener against Pittsburgh, he led the Broncos to a 31-19 victory. The Broncos scored 22 points while operating out of the no-huddle attack.
“I think he was drafted when I was — I don’t want to make him sound too old — I think in the seventh or eighth grade,” Ryan said. “At the time, I remember watching him at Tennessee. He was unbelievably talented and then when he got into the NFL he was carving people up and has been doing it for a long time.”
In addition to running the no-huddle, Ryan and Manning were coached by Bill Musgrave early in their careers. Musgrave is now Minnesota’s offensive coordinator.
Ryan relishes his first meeting against Manning, the NFL’s only four-time MVP.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
“It’s fun to play against the very best,” Ryan said. “He’s obviously one of the best quarterbacks of all-time. He’ll present a big challenge for our defense.”
In addition to the no-huddle and Musgrave, there is another parallel between Ryan and Manning’s careers. Both have struggled early in the playoffs.
Ryan is 0-3 in the playoffs. Manning didn’t win his first playoff game until his sixth season in the league, when the Colts routed the Broncos 41-10 in the wild-card round after the 2003 season.
“I think it’s one of those things that you have to use it as motivation in the right way,” Ryan said about his playoff woes. “That’s what I’ve tried to do. It’s certainly difficult, no question. But you put it behind you and start moving on.”
Ryan, who has a 44-19 record as a starter, will get to show the nation if he’s an elite quarterback. He started the season with a strong showing in Kansas City on Sunday, with three touchdowns passes and a 136.4 quarterback rating.
“We’ve been saying from the beginning that Matt is a top-tier NFL quarterback, and that’s how top-tier NFL quarterbacks play,” Koetter said. “We were able to protect him. Any quarterback is going to play better when he’s got time to throw it and also when you have good guys catching it. We threw it and caught it well against Kansas City.”
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62 comments Add your comment
coacht
September 14th, 2012
10:34 pm
In franchise history we’ve had very few quality QB’s. We have arguably our best ever now….
.But that’s not the point. The point now is CAN we win this week. Yes we can. It’s OUR job to pull for the Coons at the Dome. Loudly.
ChipperisGod
September 15th, 2012
12:31 am
This is going to be a shootout. Hope our D can slow Manning a bit. Not having Grimes is going to really hurt, but Matty looked amazing last week. Hope he can keep it up and the birds can roll.
falCANS
September 15th, 2012
3:46 am
Porter is a shutdown corner lol really?? I missed that memo
Clown called jss
September 15th, 2012
6:56 am
Lol shut down corners…..really!? Champ is no longer a shut down corner…very good……old and does not get that title anymore. As for Porter he is like Asante…..opportunistic! And not better than Samuels! Ryan is showing up BIG time this year! Rise up on Monday night!
Tampa-1
September 15th, 2012
9:26 am
1 game against the Chiefs and Matty Melt is the second coming ’till after the Broncos and just like every year , y’all will be calling him what he really is -second rate qb with no post season resume’
Mikey
September 15th, 2012
9:32 am
I agree with AFfansince1980 and will be rooting for the Falcons win or lose. They are however rising up to a much higher level of competeition than Falcons fans are accustomed. If they focus and give it their best, they will win. This is a supreme challenge for them; playing on Monday night before the nation in what will be one of the most televised games in Monday night history against a sweetheart team lead by one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history. Winning however breeds confidence and rewards proper execution… the Falcons have the upper hand in that and are on their way to demonstrating a winning attitude among every true professional on the team. I’m rooting hard for this one! GO FALCONS! SHOW US ALL WHAT YOU CAN DO!
MENTAL CRIPPLED PEOPLE
September 15th, 2012
9:52 am
Seen is your typical little girl that when her feelings get hurt (BOO TO THE WHO) she takes her dolls & goes home!!
P B Orr
September 15th, 2012
10:31 am
“Factor back”, “shutdown corner”, STOP IT! Can anyone in this country write an original sentence??
Anyway this is NOT going to be a “shootout” (gawd another “espinism”). Manning rolled up yards last week due to the poor tackling of the Steelers. There were several long run-after-catch gains. He did not go downfield early, or often. Despite playing against an out-of-sorts defense, the Broncos only had 7 points midway through the 3rd quarter.
Likewise – the Broncos play a traditional defense with 4 DL and 3 LB. That means they are going to be coming for Ryan, and they have the ends to do it. The only counter for this is to pound them off tackle with Turner and Rodgers and do a lot of quick outs and screens. Don’t expect long balls from either side. The game will be won by who controls the ball (note, last week that was not the Falcons). This is not a test of our secondary so much as it is a test of the interior play.
John
September 15th, 2012
11:31 am
Broncos have a better pass rush than the Falcons so the best way to counter Von Miller and their D-line is to play more shotgun and short passes to Rodgers to keep Denver guessing.
Manning is going to carve up the Falcons’ D if they play Cover 2, so they will really need to use Weatherspoon in a blitz package and force Peyton to get happy feet.
Demaryius Thomas is going to be the biggest threat to the Falcons secondary so they must double up on him Monday night if they expect to keep Denver’s offense off the field.
Lakewood
September 15th, 2012
12:37 pm
I’ve seen on a few other blogs where the Broncos fans are extremely confident about this game. Honestly, do they not realize this game is in Atlanta? Manning can audible at the line where there is no noise at home, but in the GA Dome where it will be a bit louder? I think the Falcons are going to surprise a lot of people. If Van Gorder were still our DC I would be terrified but you know Nolan is going to have a creative plan to get to Manning.
Also, the Steelers D looked awful last week. Peyton was solid but you could tell he still wasn’t on the top of his game. I am glad we are catching him early. I honestly think the Falcons take this game – & comfortably at that.
hiramsaint
September 15th, 2012
4:53 pm
thats what you get for thinking!
It's a team game
September 16th, 2012
12:01 am
It cracks me up when I read/ hear fans, writers, ESPN ‘experts’ who never played much, i.e. Berman, Kolber, Clayton, etc..all of a quarterback as ‘never won a playoff game’ or ‘he’s 3-1 in the playoffs’.
Football, more than either of the other two major us sports, is definitely a team game. If an O lineman gets beat on a critical play, or a receiver drops the pass, or the back misses a block or runs the wrong pattern on that same critical play it doesn’t matter if the qb is Montana, Unitas or Manning the play won’t succeed. D backs get out of position and give up a long score or two, the qb is on the sideline helpless to stop it.
If you played it, you know this. If you are a knowledgeable fan, you know this.
That said, Go Birds!!!