This one is on Matt Ryan, and Falcons may be in trouble
Everything went right for Matt Ryan in year one. Notsomuch now.
CHARLOTTE — There’s a problem with setting the bar so high in year one. When you run face first into the bar in year two, everybody notices.
Matt Ryan hasn’t necessarily been a spectacular crash this season. But he certainly hasn’t been the quarterback that most expected after a first season that saw him lead a seemingly flat-lined franchise to the playoffs. And yes — any doubts about whether something was wrong just ended.
The Falcons lost to the Carolina Sunday, 28-19. We can rationalize several reasons why this may have happened. Kicker Jason Elam botched a go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter. The defense crumbled yet again. Aliens abducted John Abraham.
But put this one on Ryan. He threw two interceptions — dreadful interceptions. The first came in the second quarter after the Falcons had closed to 14-10. It led to a Panthers’ touchdown drive just before the half that made it 21-10. The second was a game-killer — with 3:45 left from the Carolina 49, and the Falcons trailing, 21-19.
Both came on the opening plays of drives. Both sailed high over a wide receiver, Michael Jenkins, who has long arms and stands 6-foot-4. Both were mistakes many of us were deluded into believing Ryan would not, could not commit with a game on the line.
This is a troubling transition. The franchise centerpiece just went from a quarterback who lately has struggled to win games to one who just lost one.
“There’s going to be things you have to learn along the way,” Ryan said later when asked about his drop in accuracy. “There’s a lot of tough teams you’re going against. I feel like I’m learning a bunch and continuing to get better. But I’ve just made some mistakes, and that’s gonna happen.
“I just made some throws that weren’t on point.”
Learning curves are normal for young quarterbacks. But could we have anticipated this curve would turn 180 degrees?
Ryan’s first four games: 66.7 percent completion percentage, seven touchdowns, two interceptions.
Ryan’s last five games: 54.9, seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions.
Why? That answer isn’t clear. If Ryan knows, he’s not saying.
“Different things come up week in and week out,” he said. “I’m young. I’ve got a long way to go, a lot of improving to do, and a lot of things to learn. And I feel you do learn things in your second year that you don’t learn in your first. I’m trying to soak up everything I can.”
Soak this up: The Falcons are in trouble. They’re 5-4. That record certainly doesn’t scream they’re walking the Green Mile. But this is a team that goes as the offense goes. It’s not a roster built for 13-10 wins.
But now look: Running back Michael Turner is out with an ankle sprain, which was significant enough to keep him out the last two and a half quarters Sunday. Ryan, the other key member of the offense, looks average (maybe). If he stays average, the offense is dead and the Falcons’ playoff hopes will sleep with it.
Coach Mike Smith declined to let offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey or quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave speak to the media. Smith and players came to Ryan’s defense. Everybody accepted blame, as you would expect.
Smith: “I thought Matt’s play was just like the rest of the football team. We didn’t sustain the level of play we needed to be successful.”
Wide receiver Roddy White also said, “We didn’t lose this game because of Matt. We all just gave it away.”
But he offered one solid theory as to why Ryan’s production has fallen off.
“Teams have seen him now on tape for a whole year,” he said. “They’re playing to his strengths and weaknesses, and they’re doing a good job.”
If this is an aberration, we’re about to find out. Three of the next four games come against the New York Giants, Philadelphia and New Orleans. The season will be either saved or buried. And now we have to wonder if the bar for Ryan was set too high.
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532 comments Add your comment
mars
November 15th, 2009
8:55 pm
You should try reading my posts as well. Obviously you haven’t.
Keep it Real!
November 15th, 2009
8:56 pm
Look Falcon fans if Matt Ryan can stop turning the ball over we can get to 10 victories and still make the play-offs!
We have Tampa twice, The Jets and Buffalo then we would have to beat Phily or the Giants at home. We are a very good home team!
Keep it Real!
November 15th, 2009
8:58 pm
How did Eric Weems get tackled by the kicker?
@Choke are you serious no one player lose the game by themselves!
db
November 15th, 2009
8:58 pm
Well we didn’t play well on defense but still had a chance to win…….why in the world would you call that play first of all…..and Matt should not have thrown the ball second of all. Well get ready gang….7-9 may be looking right at us.
Kudzu
November 15th, 2009
8:58 pm
ESPN sucks, no Tech coverage, no Hawks (beatdown of the Celtics) coverage, won’t cover the Falcs less we loose…pi** on ESPN…
Vick Supporter
November 15th, 2009
8:58 pm
Mr Charlie has been smoking on that “Chief”….all these crazy a…. comments,lol
Mr Charlie to Matt Ryan
November 15th, 2009
8:58 pm
I can quit you Matt!
Vick Supporter
November 15th, 2009
8:59 pm
Falcons: 7-9.
End of story.
To many INTs
Jamie
November 15th, 2009
9:00 pm
Tell Nancy Ice to turn on NBC and take lots of notes!
The Boss
November 15th, 2009
9:00 pm
“Nick”- yea you needed to keep going. You left out the one with the biggest support of all” Obama!”
There, now list is complete.
Mr Charlie to Matt Ryan
November 15th, 2009
9:01 pm
Forgive me Matt I can’t quit you.
cdog
November 15th, 2009
9:01 pm
talking about mike vick is not going to help, he’s in philly. its ryan amd the coaching who must straighten things out.the secondaryb has no heart. florida’s secondary and their recieving coorp is better than the falcons. what does that equal?a losing season. management knew this but they din’t address it when they needed to.
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:02 pm
Your inablity to understand the importance of effort leads me to believe you too, must lack it. You put whatever tag you want to put on it, but I did not call you anything.
You hit the nail on the head, I grew to dislike Vick because he simply did not try his hardest. When I mention the failures of the 2006 team, you brought up his teammates, making excuses for him not putting in maximum effort. However, if the QB was not trying his best, what makes you think the line is trying theirs, or the recievers as well? The entire “I am so talented, I don’t have to do the grunt work” attitude is contagious.
That is what leadership is about, that is the component Vick lacked. You admitted as much. Again, but happy with is phenominal career of one NFC championship game. Personally, I expected much more out of him.
JSS
November 15th, 2009
9:03 pm
Racist…
Standing before the NAACP National Convention in July 1992, Independent Presidential candidate Ross Perot used the following statement: “Financially, at least, it’s going to be a long, hot summer. I don’t have to tell you who gets hurt first when this sort of thing happens, do I? You, your people do. Your people do. I know that and you know that.”
Non racist…
In commenting on individuals who were not fans of NFL and former Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick, blogger “Vick Supporter” used the following statement: “you people never judged Vick according to a “team” game. you people never blamed anyone else but Vick for the team’s troubles.”
It is not that hard to see the difference… Well, maybe if you are capable of being objective in the matter.
Keep it Real!
November 15th, 2009
9:03 pm
@Mr. Charlie please stop posting! First you are giving Matt Ryan all the credit for the Falcons going 11-5 last year! Then you do not want to blame him for the 4 losses this year. Stop it man!
A QB cannot make a player catch the ball in the 4th quarter! There were many dropped passes for touchdowns during that season! Did you check and see how many touchdowns he ran for in the 4th quarter?
Stop with the dumb comments Mr. Charlie!
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:05 pm
Nope, I can’t quit on Matt, just like I could not quit on Vick, well, until he quit on himself.
NXS
November 15th, 2009
9:06 pm
Vick Supporter, can you please give your Vick fetish a rest. He’s gone dude. He’s not coming back. There’s a new quarterback in town, and his name is Matt Ryan. He’s a pretty good QB and most here think he’ll get a lot better. So get over it. If you’re so enamored with Vick, why not go sing his praises on the Philly blogs because the folks following the Falcons really don’t give a crap about what #7 might or might not be doing at this time and point were he still a Falcon because….. HELLO…. he’s not!
Big Ray
November 15th, 2009
9:06 pm
Matt “Choke” Ryan ,
I’m not a liar (funny YOU, calling ME that), I just got my stats wrong. Now if that happened as often as you making your predictions, then it would be clear that I’m a liar. Please don’t make me drag up the stuff you’ve posted wrongly….hell, I’d have to get paid for that one, it would literally take all day to gather the data.
By the way, nice try with the “Sambo” stuff. You’re just not going to get me that easily, kid. We both know you enjoy saying things like that where you can’t get your lily hiney kicked. LOL….
By the way:
THE BOTTOM LINE: Falcons have lost 3 out of last 4.
So if it’s not the quarterback’s fault – who’s is it?
You’re not REALLY serious with that question, are you? Wow…I keep forgetting. It’s ALWAYS the quarterback’s fault when a TEAM loses. I wonder how that logic applies to your old friends Vick and Flacco….
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:07 pm
Keeping it Real, Who said I did not blame Matt for the losses this year? He stunk it up to day, no excuses. Show me one post where I say he is not responsible.
SirReal
November 15th, 2009
9:08 pm
I’m just done w/ Ryan….like I said you all can buy the “sophomore slump” bs if you want to. He just isnt showing he has the tangibles at this point. Wait and see what happens when we go the face the G-men….if he doesnt come through with a win…then maybe you guys will stop lying to yourselves.
Greg Mendel
November 15th, 2009
9:08 pm
Delhomme was brilliant today. He had time to be brilliant. He had time to watch reruns of “I Love Lucy,” eat a ham sandwich, and go “eeny, meeny, miney, moe” while choosing between open receivers. Otherwise, he brilliantly handed off for another eight-yard rush. No need for happy feet. No need for feet, even.
I’ll still take Matt Ryan over Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich, or the guy who electrocuted dogs for fun.
The Falcons have had more than forty years to build a winning team. For the first time, they seem to be doing it.
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:09 pm
Choke, so in 2005 and 2006 when we finished 2-6, losing to some really bad team, who’s fault was it? The QBs?
Mr Charlie to Matt Ryan
November 15th, 2009
9:10 pm
Let’s go to the Mountain Matt, you know I can’t quit you.
Big Ray
November 15th, 2009
9:10 pm
JSS ,
I agree. It’s not a racist statement coming from Vick Supporter . Oh wait, I’m black, so that automatically means that my opinion is forfeit in this matter, right? LOL…..
People are crazy. None moreso than the “Choke” character. I still think the AJC is paying him to do what he does. Nobody is really this manic…are they?
Headmofo
November 15th, 2009
9:12 pm
This loss has was no different than the other losses we had this year. Matt Ryan clearly is not comfortable in the pocket. Matt Ryan clearly has happy feet. Matt Ryan clearly doesn’t have the arm that he thinks he has. Every week I cringe when he drops back for a pass because I just don’t have the same confidence in his skill set that I had last year. I think Mike Smith better take a good hard look at the last 10 picks that Matt has thrown. Seriously, we all want to see Matt do well but he didn’t just start looking bad this week. He has looked bad since we played New England. It has been masked by the running game. Think back to when we drafted Matt and everyone talked about how many picks he threw at Boston College (hummm remeber that???) All these picks are nothing new.
What and the hell was Tye Hill doing? He thought he was the guy because he returned a deflected pick for a TD against a bad team.?. No Tye… You actually have to show up, tackle and cover in this leauge and if you were unsure if you should have been pulled or not just take a look at who you were replaced by and think about how many more passing TDs we gave up after you left the game. No one dislikes Grimes, he is a tough nose player. His only down fall has been he has simply been outsized by larger receivers. Don’t buy a house here yet Tye.
Mike Peterson- Stop jawing so much and make plays. That last running TD was on you. You should have made that tackle and you didn’t. Just play your game and be a sure tackler. 3rd and 5 game on the line and we give up a touch down when everyone in America knows its a run to drain the clock. Leaders don’t always talk sometimes they make the obvious plays.
DeCoud- You allowed a sure pick to hit the ground. Dude, remember that they drafted a saftety last year in the second round. Don’t give anyone a reason to re-consider you in 2010. You seriously need to take advantage of your opportunity. When the ball is in the air its ok for you to think its yours. You had a gift wrapped pick!
Matt Ryan- What’s up with the happy feet? Sometimes you appear to be ready to run when the protection hasn’t broken down yet. Settle down and keep your eyes downfield and allow the open receivers to make plays. If at all possible throw to the guys wearing the Falcons Jerseys and not our opponents. Matt we Falcons fans need you down the strecth. Please evaluate what is going on around you. If other players on the team were playing like you have been over this strecth of games they would be released or T.D. and Rich McKay would be searching the streets for a replacement. We (well Uncle Blank and us Season Ticket Holders)are a few million into you so that is not an option but you have definitely got our attention in a bad way. Tighten up Matt! Whenever we have the momentum and are driving in for a score with three minutes left in the game on first down – that’s not the time to force the ball and throw a pick.
Jason Elam- What the hell? WTF? All you do is kick.. All you do is kick.. Really, I am sure Uncle T.D. is looking for a replacement while you guys are on the bus trip home. Don’t think fans are going to let this go. We spend our hard earned dollars to come to games and see our investments produce at a high level. Earlier in the season we endured similar unexplained play from you and this one cost us. I didn’t see your name on the injury report so no rotted hamstring excuses this time. No one asked you to kick a 55 yarder. Even if they did, all you do is kick……
Mike Smith- I can appreciate you going for it on 4th and 1, especially with the way the Defense had been playing in the first half and our place kicking woes. I liked the call but in the playoffs (yea that place we all thought we might be going) we are going to need a kicker and a corner. It might not be a bad idea to start bringing in some corner help and warming up another leg for place kicking duties.
Draft 2010
1st rnd Top Flite Corner Back
2nd rnd Tony Gonzalez (via trade with K.C.)
3rd rnd Linebacker
4th rnd Defensive End/or Tackle
5th rnd Specialist/Receiver (Harry Douglass may not be the same player)
6th rnd Kicker
7th rnd Tye Hill (via trade with St Lois)
Keep it Real!
November 15th, 2009
9:12 pm
Mr Charlie…. You cannot make workers who get paid worked hard at their craft. You can try to encourage a good work ethic but we all know not everyone is going to follow your lead.
First the head coach is the leader of a team! Bill Parcels, Don Shula, etc and the list goes on and on.
M.Vick exhibit poor workmanship but each paid player must try and get better on their own that is what they get paid to do!
The Boss
November 15th, 2009
9:12 pm
“Mars”, your 100% right. Ryan is laying eggs right now BUT…one thing for sure is he is smart enough to know that the only way to improve is through hard work, and actually studying the game. And THAT my friend is the #1 difference between the two QB’s. I’ll take the hard worker and his chances for future success ANY day over our old QB.
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:12 pm
I will Quit on Ryan when he quits on himself, the same rule I have for Vick.
mrBill
November 15th, 2009
9:13 pm
Field goal kicker misses go ahead kick.
QB throws pick
Defense third down and long gives up touchdown down run
Looks like a “team” lost today
James
November 15th, 2009
9:13 pm
After sitting here and reading the comments; I have a couple of things to say. First Ryan and interceptions is nothing new, he did it in college, but people gave the excuse of him trying to win games, and he didn’t have any help on offense, so I guess no one ever thought that he would ever have pressure on him to win games as an NFL quaterback. Secondly, I understand Vick was not the most accurate quaterback, but if anybody seriously argues that Vick, was placed in the best situation to win, you are full of it. Roddy White is a pro bowler now, but come on, honestly who didn’t think he was a waste of draft pick before last season (the guy couldn’t catch a cold but naked in the artic) and the same for Jenkins. Running back, yea I don’t even need to touch that subject and the defense is still garbage, but blame the coach and gm who decided not to focus on it, because they thought they would be able to outscore everyone, which is their fault, because they placed extra pressure on a second year quaterback. Am I giving up on Ryan, no, he still has the oppurtunity to be great. The Falcons have the same problem they have always had, a suspect defense. I leave everyone with this be fair with your criticism.
Marco DeNiro
November 15th, 2009
9:15 pm
Come on Ryan get it together, black or white skin colors doesn’t matter to true football fans. Only the falcon’s team colors. I was and still a Vick fan, but I’m also a Ryan fan. I just hope we can get it together. We still got a shot at the playoffs, and next year might be the season we all (falcon fans) been dreaming for. ”Finish strong Birds”
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:18 pm
Keeping it Real. That is true in theory, but that is the difference between team that play for a paycheck, and teams that play for a championship.
I do agree it started with the coach, and Mora should have had the balls to bench Vick and put in Schaub when Vick did not put in maximum effort. So you are right, the failure ultimately was on the coaching staff, although it probably would have started a race war, but in the end, everyone would have came out ahead, probably even Vick.
Vick-Shaub, who would of thunk one was going to be leading a team to the playoffs, while the other ride the bench for what looks like his last year in the NFL.
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:21 pm
See, Vick had more talent than Schaub, but obviously Schaub had the intangable Vick lacked. So, here we are 2009, and Schaub is headed to the playoffs, and Vick is riding the pine. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHHAHA, Think of the friggin Irony. (VS and Choke, Google Irony if you do not understand).
Sos
November 15th, 2009
9:26 pm
MR. CHARLIE
Now you KNOW he won’t answer that question straight up. He never does. Not if it’s a direct challenge with evidence. Proves he’s not insane, there is “malice aforethought” present. Can’t be reasoned with. Like a monkey on crack or something. Let it have it’s time alone with the keyboard and computer. Take it away, and you’ll have to put the poor thing down for good.
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:28 pm
Sorry guys I get teary eyed when I think of Matt Ryan.
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:29 pm
My sweet sweet Matt
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:30 pm
Love me some Matty Ice
FalconUGAFan
November 15th, 2009
9:33 pm
@James..I don’t think anyone here feels that Vick was given the weapons that he needed to be successful. If he was the QB now, who knows where the Falcons would be. But the point is he is GONE and will NEVER be back, IMHO. So why all the talk about him? Its just non-productive and pointless. But people clearly want to talk about him and nothing that we say will ever stop them.
GTIronman
November 15th, 2009
9:34 pm
The kid threw 19 interceptions against a weak ACC bunch of teams. What did we think we were getting?
The Boss
November 15th, 2009
9:41 pm
“Vick Supporter”-
Vick was dumb? I know you didn’t say that but I couldn’t resist……. Geez, what an understatement that is. Has he even learned the English language yet, much less a playbook?
I think you should go on the Eagles blog as Vick Supporter with all this b.s, and see how “supported” you are! lol
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:42 pm
Aww, stealing my handles says I won the debate, because you cannot make any logical points. For the record, you are wrong about Ice. I would rather have Matt Schaub, so maybe I do love Matt. However, Author cowtowed to the black racists in this town and traded him in order to pacify the black “community”. Obviously, 3 years later, it dumping Vick and keeping Matty S would have been the correct move.
Or, maybe we just should have drafted Drew Brees instead of Vick in 2000, what do you think of that Choke and VS?
jeffp
November 15th, 2009
9:42 pm
Maybe time to take a chance on Larry Johnson? You have to look at the injuries this year at Nosetackle, RB/FB, etc. – definitely affects the gameplan.
Still that DEF line isn’t getting enough pressure and Abraham always seems to be hurt. What has happened to Jason Elam – getting old?
They really have been been in every game except the Dallas game this year. I do have to agree that Ryan is making some “decision” mistakes and that scares me.
However, the NFC is wide open and as they say, the Falcons can control their destiny with the upcoming games against Giants, Philly and Saints (2 of 3 at home). Couple this with games against Buffalo, NY Jets, and Tampa, I still see them winning 10 games this year – is it enough?
Keep the heads up fans because long way to go….
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:44 pm
Not only was Vick not the best Falcon QB ever (that dubious honor goes to Chris Chandler). But, he was not even the best QB in the class of 2000. Falcons should took Drew Brees.
Mr Charlie
November 15th, 2009
9:45 pm
Look like I shut both VS and Choke up. You guys can thank me later.
POSTS as Matt "Choke" Ryan
November 15th, 2009
9:45 pm
Me too. I have a love-hate relationship with Matt ryan. I hate that I love him so I have to post that he’s a bust. Really I want him to bust a nut in my butt.
Singletary
November 15th, 2009
9:59 pm
Time management, coaches. Why let 40 seconds run off the clock near the 2 minute warning, when you could have mounted 3-4 more plays with an effective use of a time out. (Not to second guess, but isn’t the red flag on a spot the LEAST likely to be unconfirmed after the zebra goes under the hood?)
falconeddy
November 15th, 2009
10:08 pm
I’m a little surprised by Ryan’s accuracy this year. I thought he would improve on last year. Today he certainly was a central figure in the loss.
That being said, this is the NFL not the SEC and the kicks that are being missed consistantly by Jason Elam are more than a little alarming. Professional kickers don’t miss 34 yard game winners, and if Elam hadn’t missed his we may be talking about how Ryan overcame inconsistant play with 4th quarter grit. We can’t go to the free agent list and get a better QB, a replacement for Norwood or Turner, a pass rusher to replace the non existant Jon Abraham or a shut down corner…… but I bet there’s a list of 20 guys who can kick the ball better than Elam has to date. Here’s to hoping a half dozen of them are working out at Flowery Branch in the next 48 hours.
Vick Supporter
November 15th, 2009
10:12 pm
Vick will shine again
georgia tech breakin neckz
November 15th, 2009
10:12 pm
please let micheal turner but ok we really need him for these last 7 games but here is the bright spot N.O. has been very lucky with their win for four weeks and that defense of theres is seriously injured I think matt need to throw a lot of shorter passes from now on little dump offs and let you skill players work the field also if turner gets healthy for next weeks game let him run more than we throw he is been a beast for 3 games and was on his way to breaking another 150 yard day I dnt think it too serious because he already had 111 yds plus we were in this this game till the interception with 3:min what we do need is a place kicker was one of the causes we lost to car and N.O. keep hope alive we can do this still matt get control of your emotions thats why they call you ice
Jimmy
November 15th, 2009
10:13 pm
Vick didn’t have weapons to be successful? If he had them he wouldn’t know how to use them.
Vick threw bullets to receivers. He had NO touch on the ball.
Vick had problems staying in the pocket. His scrambling put way too much pressure on the offensive line trying to figure out where he was and how to protect him.
Vick had the benefit of a league leading running game. Yet for some reason, he still couldn’t complete 60% of his passes. He missed receivers high ALL the time.
I liked Vick. I was willing to spend my hard earned dollar to see him play. But let’s be real. He didn’t exactly light it up as a passer or as a QB. Much of that was HIS FAULT too…not a lack of talent around him. He had trouble hitting Algae Crumpler over the middle, for cripes sake.