Ryan measures up in ways most quarterbacks don’t
It's not the arm, the size or the strength that make an NFL quarterback: It's all of the stuff you can't measure -- liike what's in his head. (Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com)
There always has been something different about the quarterback position, something that can’t be gauged by height or weight or speed or strength or the ability to throw a football 70 yards past the cows, over the barn, through the tire screen and into the feed bucket (when, by the way, just hitting the open tight end over the middle would’ve been fine).
If quarterbacks were measured by physical skills, Jeff George would not have been a cartoon and Joe Montana would not have been a deity. If quarterbacks were measured by fast legs, chiseled abs and ripped biceps, NFL general managers — the experts — would not draft so many colossal busts, crippling their franchise, alienating their fan base and ultimately ensuring their own unemployment.
The Falcons got it right with Matt Ryan. One player. One pick. One decision. Just like that, the owner, the general manager and the coach all look brilliant.
Ryan and the Falcons play a nationally televised game in Dallas Sunday. They are 4-1 this season and 15-6 in 21 regular season games since selecting Ryan third overall, and the biggest question now is what the two players taken ahead of him can do to avoid winding up as an answer on the back of a Trivial Pursuit card.
Tony Romo, the Cowboys’ quarterback, has talent. What he has lacked is the stability, leadership and that does-he-even-care-that-he’s-standing-barefoot-on-hot-coals coolness that Ryan exhibits.
Matt's Ryan's uncommon ability to lead under pressure far outweighs his physical attributes. (Curtis Compton)
Falcons players who are eight, 10, 12 years older than Ryan are following him. Why? Because leadership comes naturally to him. They sense it, they embrace it and, as center Todd McClure said, “When he says something, you just do it. I can’t explain it. But it’s been that way since he got here.”
Nothing fazes Ryan. His teammates and coaches take turns gushing about his presence, maturity and work ethic. Troy Aikman, a Hall of Famer, says things about Ryan that he won’t say about the quarterback for his former team in Dallas. Tony Dungy likens Ryan to Peyton Manning, his former quarterback in Indianapolis and a Hall of Famer in waiting.
“When I look at quarterbacks, I always look at intangibles first,” Dungy said by phone. “You have to have intelligence and poise under pressure. Ryan has that. Peyton’s ability to remain calm as a young guy stood out more than anything.”
I had to ask Ryan: Has he ever been fazed by anything? After the expected golly-gee-juiced responses, he finally recalled an incident his sophomore year in high school in Philadelphia.
“I had done something in a game that I wasn’t supposed to do, I think on third down, and I was a little more hot-headed than I am now,” he said. “I came off the field. I thought I was right, but I was told by my coach that I should’ve done the other thing. I said, ‘Well, that would’ve made only five yards and I’m trying to make a first down.’ And I got put in my place pretty quickly after that. I learned to keep my mouth shut in those situations.”
Asked what his coach said, Ryan laughed. “The exact quote’s not for print,” he said. “Something to the extent of, ‘You let me coach. You play. If you keep doing that, you won’t be on the field.’ I believed him.”
He was 16. Imagine if we all learned our last lesson at that age.
Tony Gonzalez, in his 13th season, said Ryan has been unlike any quarterback he ever has worked with, adding,”You forget he’s only in his second season.”
Last season, we forgot about youth quickly. He threw a touchdown on his first NFL pass. Four weeks later in Green Bay’s historic Lambeau Field, Ryan led the team to three scores on the first four possessions and a victory. One notable moment came during a TV timeout, when McClure made the mistake of asking the rookie, “What’s the next play?” Ryan, McClure said, “just snapped [and said], ‘Wait! Hold on a second!’”
“He gets in the moment. He gets in the role. You’d think he’s been playing for 12 or 13 years. The funny part is, everybody expects it.”
These are the traits that can’t be measured before a draft. This is where stopwatches and barbells won’t help.
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170 comments Add your comment
D.Ellis
October 23rd, 2009
9:41 pm
Actually Chris Chandler led the team to a Championship game in 1998 season…..AND WON
Barkin'Dog
October 23rd, 2009
9:43 pm
That’s it for me, guys! Gotta go – this blog is too slow. Bradley takes a vacation and all the regulars like Cuz, 45, and Denver Dog are no where to be read. Even Jeff is out-of-the-box. So, I’m going to watch the rest of the ball game and go to bed, rest my head, and get up early to blog about the Black and Red… cute, huh? Black and Red – Dogs – Falcons – get it? I’ll be here all week. Try the veal.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 23rd, 2009
9:47 pm
1ST ROUND PICK vs “OVERALL” 1ST PICK…..Interesting
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 23rd, 2009
9:50 pm
D.Ellis
October 23rd, 2009
9:41 pm
Actually Chris Chandler led the team to a Championship game in 1998 season…..AND WON
“I REST MY CASE”
No Vick = 12 years of no playoff appearances or losses
I don’t blame you for your support of mediocre success….Afterall
Small minds think alike
GO LOSERS!
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 23rd, 2009
9:53 pm
FALCONS WIN……..FALCONS WIN………FALCONS WIN
http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=290103022
Oh no they don’t – MY BAD
I was thinking 2002 & 2004
duker64
October 23rd, 2009
10:13 pm
CHOKE u know he has been in ONE playoff game what did #7 do his first year . If I remember right stood on the sidelines jst shut up and relearn how to do the dirty bird .it is hereto stay this time
D.Ellis
October 23rd, 2009
10:19 pm
Mike Vick-#1 OVERALL PICK to 14 total yards of offense
Ignorance is still welll uhhhhhh BLISS
D.Ellis
October 23rd, 2009
10:28 pm
Matt Ryan- 9 yards rushing 1TD
Mike Vick-13 yards rushing 0TD’s
Gotta love those mobile QB’s!
Your tiresome. I’m out
Eddie LaBaron
October 23rd, 2009
10:28 pm
I make stinkies in the Cowboys general direction. Is Craig Baynham still returning punts?
LeRoy Jordan
October 23rd, 2009
10:32 pm
I got your Pugh, Jethroe.
"Mr Falcon"
October 23rd, 2009
10:33 pm
If the Falcons win Sunday. There are going to be some sad haters on this blog. First it was, “the Falcons won’t win four games.” Then it was, “Flacco is better than Ryan.” Then there were the people who said the Falcons should have kept Vick (he has not done anything this year AT ALL). Oh Yea! The defense was supposed to be terrible; that hasn’t been the case. I am not saying they are going to the Super Bowl, but they still have a chance.
LET’S GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shamus Thacker
October 23rd, 2009
10:36 pm
If we’d drafted Dorsey, the “Vick Effect” could have taken us on a years-long downward spiral, to the very brink of eternal damnation in Football Hell. Or there-bouts…
Shamus Thacker
October 23rd, 2009
10:45 pm
Drafting Matt Ryan was far-and-away the most important/brilliant move in the history of this franchise. Period.
Matt "Savior"
October 23rd, 2009
10:45 pm
Matt Choke is an idiot Notherner. 4-1 baby 4-1. This idiot is bringing up college days. Dont live in the past buddy because you sure dont know what is going on in the present. Signed Choke is a joke :0
Randy White
October 23rd, 2009
10:57 pm
I wish we would have had Matt Ryan and not Danny White to replace Roger when he retired. Danny sucked and with Ryan we would have had a couple more rings.
renegade #1
October 23rd, 2009
11:17 pm
Boy old choke really pushes yall’s buttons don’t he, My granpa always told me to consider the source. But if ignorance is bliss old choke is is slam out of it ain’t he. Old choke needs to go french kiss one of his hero’s pittbulls that will snap his ass back to reality. Hey old choke for the whole Falcon’s Nation; Kiss our Ass!
thunderbull56
October 23rd, 2009
11:40 pm
Whoo MF’ing Hooo!.Homer’s of AJC win agin.Whoo Hoo!Retire old once a month or two Furm.BTW, the best sportswriter to ever waste paper! You JS and You MB and you kick me off your comments, Kinda Presidenial I think. censor wussys are alive and well in the AJC wuss patrol.Hard for a man to have back problems when He has no spine!
downsouthdirtybird
October 23rd, 2009
11:49 pm
renegade hahahahaha so glad took time to read last blog but really yall just like fishies and old chokes on vicks d*ck just having great time fighting with yall trying reel ya in. on the SUBJECT tho ryan is the man and lets go kick some cowgirls ass on sunday
Samuel
October 23rd, 2009
11:53 pm
They have’nt been calling him Matty Ice for nothing………………
The Truth Hurts
October 24th, 2009
12:26 am
Draft more guys from BC.
They’re smarter.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 24th, 2009
1:11 am
PLAYOFFS?…….
PLAYOFFS……….
PLAYOFFS?……
You mean like Virginia Tech whipped my butt?
I don’t do playoffs, grandma is expecting me in January. We really had some freakin good eggnog watching ole Joe Flacco make NFL history being the 1st rookie qb to lead his team to the championship game.
But I do have the “pre-playoff” ROY!
It sure looks swell next to ole Joe’s NFL Record shrine
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 24th, 2009
1:15 am
Them Dagnappit boys from Virginia Tech sure are fast, Mike Vick, D Hall and that Eddie Royal!
Mike Vick…………….Pro Bowl
D Hall……………….Pro Bowl
Eddie Royal………….Will be next
I hate that damn Virginia Tech!
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 24th, 2009
1:16 am
Hey Joe – can I borrow one of your playoff wins? Pretty please?
Matt I told you to keep your grubby hands off of my playoff wins.
Eric
October 24th, 2009
1:25 am
I bet whoever wrote that article “Choke” posted earlier about how MR is a gamble if drafted in the 1st round feels like a retard now. Regardless of what thr half-wit Vick hangers-on folks like Bad News say, everybody who knows football agrees that MR is the next great qb in the league.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 24th, 2009
1:53 am
Anybody mind if I don’t win any playoff games again this season? I ran out of Maalox.
Atlanta Falcons Talk » Blog Archive » Ryan measures up in ways most QB’s don’t
October 24th, 2009
1:56 am
[...] ESPN.COM Source >> Atlanta Falcons Blogs Posted October 24th, 2009 in Atlanta Falcons Blogs. [...]
BugKiller
October 24th, 2009
2:02 am
Hey Bad News… Pro Bowls are more meaningless than your sad devotion to that old religion (Vick).
How far down did you have to scrape to bring up MeAngelo Hall, the second worst draft pick this team ever made, after your favorite felon of course?
Pro Bowls? You’re talking about Pro Bowls?
Let me ask you this, Bad News… how many winning seasons did ConVick have?
Did ConVick ever lead this team to back to back winning seasons? Or was he too busy coming in late and leaving early… you know, ’cause he spent all those nights choking dogs and stuff.
And what about ConVick’s on-field play which was piss-poor to be kind his last two years?
Seriously, Bad News – Vick Supporter 2 – FALCONS SORRY… whomever the f–k you are…
We get it. You’re too busy wallowing in your blind racist hatred of a SUCCESFULL, HUMBLE, and HARD-WORKING quarterback who happens to be white to see the truth about your SOCIOPATHIC, LAZY, and STILL ARROGANT favorite felon.
Again… Matt Ryan is praised by everyone and anyone who has anything to do with the NFL… people who actually know what they’re talking about, but you of course know better.
Matt Ryan can and does make every throw in the book, and not only that, as Dungy pointed out last Sunday night, he does so with pinpoint accuracy in an almost preturnatural way, and definitely not in a way expected of a second year starter… but YOU know better.
What makes you particularly frustrating for most people here is that your ignorant arguments have no basis in logic whatsoever.
You google and find some predraft article about Matt Ryan by some guy who makes a guess about Ryan saying he shouldn’t be taken in the first round, but then you ignore everything that’s taken place since then. How as a rookie starter, he led his team to the playoffs (unlike the other guy you like to talk about, Fluke-O, who was a caretaker who depended on defense).
My favorite thing you’ve done though, was disappear for two weeks when Ryan DESTROYED the 49ers, who you claimed would kill him.
We didn’t miss you after you took your raving lunacy and left. So please, leave again.
Billy
October 24th, 2009
4:12 am
not that it matters, but the fact that Vick had done things by age 24 that Ryan hadn’t is irrelevant. Ryan actually FINISHED college. Maybe if Vick had done that, he could have gotten another job after getting out of prison. ‘Cause he sure doesn’t look like he’s going to be doing much after this year!
ant.b
October 24th, 2009
6:12 am
So CHOKE , @ 23 MV start buying dogs , @ 23 MV fighting dogs, @ 23 MV choking dogs , @ 23 MV killing dogs, So who is choking NOW.
jerry
October 24th, 2009
6:43 am
Ryan had better be all they say. The Falcons are about to find out what it’s like to go on the road against a good team that has had 2 weeks to prepare. “Boys, 27-14
Choke your Chicken
October 24th, 2009
7:11 am
Dude. If all you can come up with is college comeback “prevent” defense scenario’s 2-3 years ago and 1 playoff lost (to the eventual NFC champions) then that is pretty sad. I liked Vick as much as anybody when he was playing for the Falcons butI would rather have back-back winning seasons at some point in the falcons gloomy history and have a chance to consistantly get in the playoffs. Once you are in, anything can happen but the games before the playoff’s do count you know.
Mike Vick....
October 24th, 2009
8:21 am
@ age 26 I was in prison taking it up the rear.
midnite
October 24th, 2009
8:38 am
Enter your comments here
Harleyman
October 24th, 2009
8:39 am
Matt Ryan. The Greg Maddux of football.
IceFan
October 24th, 2009
8:43 am
Just ignore the idiot. We all know how great Matty Ice is and will become. Once he leads the Falcons to a Superbowl win the idiot will shut up forever because there will be nothing left to say.
Ryan is the real deal. When someone like Tony Dungy compares him to Manning you need to listen. Matty Ice may only be a “7″ (no pun intended) when it comes to the physical attributes of a quarterback, but he is definitely an “11″ in everything else.
Feel lucky to have him, because we are. How many cities can say that (barring injury and knocking on wood) they have their quarterback situation locked up for the next decade or more? Not to mention, the only time he will be on the front page of the paper is for doing something good, on or off the field.
On an unrelated topic, Sonny Clusters is hilarious. We is always happy to read his posts.
IceFan
October 24th, 2009
8:46 am
Damn Harleyman, I think you just nailed it. Except Ryan will have a better playoff winning percentage than Mad Dog. Nice comparison.
Darrin "The Vent King"
October 24th, 2009
9:19 am
After the YKW debacle and subsequent nuclear meltdown in this town with this team and franchise and fanbase, I think Matt Ryan ending up in a Falcon uniform was nothing more than the football gods saying- “Okay, they’ve had enough…let’s cut them some slack. Throw them a blessing!” To have this type of turn around so quickly after all that transpired a couple of seasons ago, new coach, new GM, new QB and RB- its nothing less than a miracle. Good going Blank for staying the course and getting the right people in the right place that brought Ryan and others to this team and as a long suffering Falcons fan- thank you.
ChokeStoppers
October 24th, 2009
10:46 am
My question to all the Ryan haters and the Matt “Choke” Ryan bloggers is that when the Falcons complete their agenda this season; winning the superbowl with Matt Ryan leading them all the way, will the Matt Ryan hating finally stop. I hope it does because most of the folks who are bad mouthing Ryan are the old Mike Vick supporters. I read an article the other day about how Vick has become a non factor in the league. Vick will never ever amount to anything in the nfl ever again. So please forget about Vick and give Matt Ryan your support if you are a Falcon fan because he will need it for the Falcons to finish the season successfully, making the playoffs and going on to WINNING THE SUPERBOWL THIS YEAR. We are only a few months away from that task coming to fruition. My second question is if Matt Ryan is the mvp of the superbowl with the Falcons winning IT, will all the Vick Supporters and Matt Ryan haters just disappear and go away and stop tormenting us. We finally have a great football team and all you ever read about is Mike Vick, while Vick is no longer here. Vick is in Philly so if you want to find Vick, get on the next plane to Philadelphia and go locate him. Just leave us alone and let us enjoy our superbowl season.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 24th, 2009
10:59 am
My grandma says you dudes need to stop talking about playoffs. She says if I’m not home for Christmas & New Years she’s going to do something to “SPOT” I love “SPOT” – he is the only thing I have to look forward to after the regular season.
Sorry guys don’t plan on me being on the field after the regular season, but you guys will still worship me because we look alike.
Thanks guys.
P.S. I really hate living in Boston, those mean fans boo you if you don’t win playoff games, but not you guys, you don’t care about winning playoff games as long as my eyes are blue
MWC
October 24th, 2009
11:04 am
Yo Bugkiller…THAT WAS AWESOME!!!
Scott Case
October 24th, 2009
11:24 am
I remember the outrage by a lot of fans when we drafted a QB over OL Jake Long. Let alone that our QBs at the time were Chris Redman and Joey Harrington. The QB is the most important position on the field, and if you have a chance to draft a good one (when your starting QBs are lacking) then why in the heck wouldn’t you?
BlueEdwards
October 24th, 2009
11:26 am
Matt “Choke” Ryan: Here are the responses to your Blog:
@Age 22 Mike Vick won his 1st playoff game
@Age 22 Mike Vick was drowing his first pit bull
@Age 22 Mike Vick finished 2nd in MVP voting
@Age 22 Mike Vick was electrocuting his first rockweiler
@Age 22 Mike Vick led team to only Championship Game in 12 years
@Age 22 Mike Vick was killing his first german sheppard
@Age 22 Mike Vick was elected to his 1st Pro Bowl
@Age 22 Mike Vick was obtaining the business license for his underground dogfighting ring “Bad Newz Kennels”
Dammit I’m 24 freakin years old and I have none of that………
Yes Dammit youre a freakin stark raving idiot at 24 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But my “dudes where is my car” still calls be a star
But my “dudes are my prison cell mates who are rapists and murderers in Leavenworth, KY”
THEY ARE SUCH LOSERS
YOU ARE SUCH A LOSER
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 24th, 2009
11:29 am
PERFECT EXAMPLE OF CHOKING AGAINST GOOD TEAMS:
The Patriots defense will get their second straight look at a second-year quarterback, and if they give Joe Flacco the Matt Ryan treatment, they may have a shot. Ryan was rendered completely mediocre on Sunday, proving that the Patriots’ porous defense may have more to offer than it seems. But just in case, let’s hope that Vince Wilfork is good to go.
http://www.nesn.com/2009/09/patriots-offense-finally-clicks-as-patriots-trump-matt-ryan-falcons.html
Wesley Wallace
October 24th, 2009
11:47 am
Symone, I was just stating the general rule for nicknames. I also don’t know if you can carry a nickname from one group or area to the other. That was Matt’s nickname when he was a kid, as you said. I just think he needs a big boy nickname now. Shorting is to “Ice” isn’t too bad. Some people like “Matty Ice”. I just think we can do better.
Wesley Wallace
October 24th, 2009
11:51 am
Matt “Choke” Ryan, you should read the rule on holding. The Patriot’s QB will not last the season, because during the away games, the Patriots will be called for holding, and their QB will be too banged up to play well.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 24th, 2009
11:56 am
DECEMBER 6TH….HA HA HA
Redskins prepare for Vick, Wildcat formation
The Redskins will face quarterback Michael Vick for the first time since his reinstatement when they play host to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, and they have prepared to try to stop him in the Wildcat formation.
“To me, I think when you look at him, he’s getting back” to being the force he once was, secondary coach Jerry Gray said. “When you look at a guy who’s kind of been away from football, and he gets seven or eight plays, you really can’t get in detail what he’s really good at it.”
To this point, Philadelphia has used Vick sparingly. In three games, he has attempted only five passes, completing one for one yard. He rushed six times for 13 yards (a 2.2-yard average). Cornerback Byron Westbrook has played the role of Vick on Washington’s scout team this week.
In 2006 with the Atlanta Falcons – Vick’s last season – he passed for almost 2,500 yards and rushed for more than 1,000. He still possesses the skills to be a threat, Gray said.
“The more plays he plays, the better he’s going to get,” Gray said. “The old Michael Vick will come back.”
Sonny Clusters
October 24th, 2009
1:27 pm
When we was playing ball we was always trying to score more points than the other team. We would try to score on each possession and not let them score any. We remember when Jeff covered one of our games and spent all that time eating at the concession stand and hardly saw a snap. He come over about the time our Jeff intercepted a ball and took it back. We was always doing that.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 24th, 2009
1:28 pm
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but when the Bradys, Mannings & Favres retire, the new breed of qbs are taking over the NFL.
In college, nearly every major powerhouse has a Mike Vick prototype and very rarely will you find many “ONE – DIMENTIONAL” players coming out of college and drafted in the NFL, The Pryors, Tim Tebow, etc are mobile, multi talented prospects – the future of the NFL.
I’ll give Matt “Choke” Ryan about 2 more seasons, before he becomes a clip board employee or maybe even selling realestate in China somewhere.
Sorry guys, but that “LAST” position is a thing of the past and just like the NBA, the old demographic is a thing of the past, but you can watch ESPN Classic if you want to dwell on how it used to be
Barkin'Dog
October 24th, 2009
1:50 pm
“To me, I think when you look at him, he’s getting back” to being the force he once was, secondary coach Jerry Gray said. “The more plays he plays, the better he’s going to get. The old Michael Vick will come back.” — what the heck does Gray know? He won’t even be in the NFL after this season. The Skins suck, Matt “CHOKE” Ryan – and so does your argument. It’s old and tired, and dead wrong.
Let’s see what your favorite felon does in that game before spouting superlatives about the dog-killer. And after Matty Ice beats the Cowpokes by 2 TDs (to further embarrass JJ and and his house of cards), we’ll all revel in his mastery of the position, and the demise of dead-man-walkin’.
The last position
October 24th, 2009
2:58 pm
is he who cuts the check boy…..remember that