birdz4i Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Matt Ryan tends to go overlooked as one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks these days, largely due to the fact the Atlanta Falcons are owners of a 10-22 record over the past two seasons. All perceptions aside, the Eagles know they’re preparing to face one of the most prolific passers in the league in Monday night’s regular season opener.Over the past three years especially, Ryan not only has put up numbers among the best in the league but also has been remarkably consistent.Single-season completion totals since 2012: 422, 439, 415 — all top-three finishes. Passing yards since 2012: 4,719, 4,515, 4694 — all top five. Touchdowns: 32, 26, 28 — top 10. Completion percentage: 68.6, 67.4, 66.1 — first, fourth and seventh, respectively.Most of that has been accomplished behind makeshift offensive lines, while lacking a strong complementary ground attack. And although it’s true Ryan has been aided by multiple Pro Bowl targets, Julio Jones missed 11 games in 2013, Tony Gonzalez retired following that season and Roddy White is 33, in and out of the lineup and declining.Ryan’s credentials are unimpeachable, which few players would know than better than Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins. As a former member of the NFC South rival New Orleans Saints, Jenkins has gone head-to-head with the Exton, Pennsylvania native nine times in his professional career, more than any other signal-caller.“He’s a smart quarterback,” Jenkins said of Ryan. “He can do all the things at the line of scrimmage as far as checking plays, and he can make all the throws. He has a big arm, gets rid of it quick, understands the game, checks the football. He has everything an elite quarterback needs in this league.“I played against him a lot, and he knows the game. He studies well, so he knows his opponent, he can read defenses. He’s a quality quarterback.”New Orleans was also 7-2 against Ryan during Jenkins’ tenure there, the lopsided nature of the rivalry coming as something of a surprise.It turns out the Saints had become quite good at game-planning for the Falcons’ aerial assault.“You can’t make it easy on him. You’ve got to get some pressure, you’ve got to disguise your coverages,” Jenkins said. “If he knows your game, he’ll carve you up. You have to play around a little bit with your looks, you have to come with some different pressures, and you have to take away their run game.“If they can have balance, that’s going to be tough for us back there, but if we can make them one-handed, it’ll be tough for them.”How effective Atlanta can be on the ground is questionable. The Falcons are set to go with a rookie running back on Monday night in Tevin Coleman. And while Coleman, a third-round pick, rushed for over 2,000 yards as a junior for Indiana in 2014, Atlanta’s offensive line is a bit of a mess heading into the regular season opener, with three new starters up front.The Eagles limited opposing ball-carriers to 3.7 yards per carry in 2014, tied for fourth-lowest in the NFL.Of course, the Eagles also finished 31st against the pass last year, surrendering 18 completions of 40 or more yards in the process — three more than any other team — so the two areas don’t necessarily have to correlate. The hope is a reconfigured secondary will experience more success this season, but Ryan and receivers Jones and White are a tough draw in Week 1.“We think we can get some pressure up front, and we’ll match up well. Obviously, he has a lot of weapons, too,” Jenkins said. “He can get bailed out of a bad situation by just putting it up to those receivers and letting them make plays, so we have to keep the ball in front of us and make them have sustained drives downfield with a short passing game and see where that gets us.”Eagles head coach Chip Kelly agreed that getting pressure on a vulnerable Ryan behind a patchwork offensive line would be a huge help for the secondary.“That's going to be a big matchup,” Kelly said. “Generating the pass-rush and obviously pass defense consists of pass-rush and pass coverage.“So try to get to Matt so we can get the ball out of his hands a little bit quicker than probably he hopes to get it out. But it depends on how their protection can hold up versus our rush, and then how does our coverage hold up against some really talented receivers, especially Julio and Roddy, those are two of the tops and a really good pair.”The Eagles were tied for second in the NFL last season with 49 sacks, but obviously that didn’t always prevent the defense from getting torched through the air.Ryan has one additional advantage, and that would be playing in the comforts of the Georgia Dome on Monday night. The eighth-year veteran has much stronger numbers in his own building.At home, Ryan has compiled a 39-15 record, completed 66.8 percent of his passes and thrown 88 touchdowns to 36 interceptions. On the road, he’s just 27-29 with a 61.8 completion percentage, 93 touchdowns and 55 interceptions.The Falcons haven’t exactly been unbeatable with Ryan at the helm the past two seasons, but that’s been through no fault of the quarterback. Jenkins and Kelly laid out the game-plan to stopping Ryan, and it’s one that’s been executed before. Whether the Eagles can accomplish all of that remains to be seen.http://www.csnphilly.com/football-philadelphia-eagles/malcolm-jenkins-matt-ryan-atlanta-falcons-carve-you-up?p=ya5nbcs&ocid=yahoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trouble Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 We didn't stop teams in the second half. Mike smith took a nap after halftime. It hasnt been Ryan's fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tandy Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 But, But .... I thought teams didn't game plan against Ryan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falconidae Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I sincerely hope that the Oline comes together and the run game takes off so that people can finally see just how good Ryan is. Ideally in February. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarterback Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I have said this for years and I believe the evidence in now convincing, overwhelming and indisputable: This team has been a top to bottom, bottom tier talent team since 2008 and THE primary difference in overcoming (and masking this deficiency, frankly) this is Matt Ryan. He, more than any other player has made this team look much, much better than in reality it was. But even he couldn't overcome the talent disparity and coaching blunders in the postseason where super talent and coaching advances to the Super Bowl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAD597 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I promise you if we EVER give Ryan an OL where he has around 3 seconds to pass on most plays he will break a number of single season QB records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarterback Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I promise you if we EVER give Ryan an OL where he has around 3 seconds to pass on most plays he will break a number of single season QB records.And couple this with a top 10 defense and just respectable running game and he's hoisting the Lombardi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoungHeezy Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Look at the TD/INT ratio for Matt on the road and look at the record. We should be winning those games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarterback Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Look at the TD/INT ratio for Matt on the road and look at the record. We should be winning those games.Correct. Those road games when a team's fans are lifting them up is when you need a defense to step up too. You know that story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun Tzu 7 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I think it's simple really.If we can't run the ball behind all these new additions on the o-line.... we lose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HASHBROWN3 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Shame we're wasting all these years with such a puzzy Oline and patchwork. Dam shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyBird8711 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 (edited) We didn't stop teams in the second half. Mike smith took a nap after halftime. It hasnt been Ryan's fault.I sincerely hope that the Oline comes together and the run game takes off so that people can finally see just how good Ryan is. Ideally in February.I have said this for years and I believe the evidence in now convincing, overwhelming and indisputable: This team has been a top to bottom, bottom tier talent team since 2008 and THE primary difference in overcoming (and masking this deficiency, frankly) this is Matt Ryan. He, more than any other player has made this team look much, much better than in reality it was. But even he couldn't overcome the talent disparity and coaching blunders in the postseason where super talent and coaching advances to the Super Bowl.But the Matt Ryan Detractors will be quick to downplay and say "IT'S ALL HIS FAULT AND HE'S HAS 1 PLAYOFF WIN" and will label you as a blind homer....... Edited September 10, 2015 by DirtyBird8711 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Flare Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I promise you if we EVER give Ryan an OL where he has around 3 seconds to pass on most plays he will break a number of single season QB records.I remember hearing this about another Atlanta QB a decade ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarterback Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 But the Matt Ryan Detractors will be quick to downplay and say "IT'S ALL HIS FAULT AND HE'S HAS 1 PLAYOFF WIN" and will labeled you as a blind homer.......And you then must stop and pray for them by saying: "Lord, forgive them, as they know not what they say." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyBird8711 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Shame we're wasting all these years with such a puzzy Oline and patchwork. Dam shame. I think it's simple really.If we can't run the ball behind all these new additions on the o-line.... we lose.Correct. Those road games when a team's fans are lifting them up is when you need a defense to step up too. You know that story!The previous regime failed our QB PLAIN AND SIMPLE!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuggle'2 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Pretty strong words from the former rival. Huge props to Jenkins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tandy Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Pretty strong words from the former rival. Huge props to Jenkins.I've heard it from several of the defensive players of our rivals. Everything from - you bring it all at him - and he still gets the ball out - to he's so quick to get the ball out, it's hard to defend.The biggest problem we've had the past couple of years is the run game (offensively - not even touching on the guys pretending to be a defense out there). If we even had a small running game to keep the defense somewhat honest, our passing game would have soared. The defenses we've faced know they can absolutely play the pass and win and that's just what they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madman88 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Ill say it all yr.. we will go as far as this line takes us..Not ryan, not julio, not the defense.This line will make us or break us again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Flare Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Translation: he'll get some great fantasy stats and then lose the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falconstwopercentsized Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 THAT'S MY QUARTERBACK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerSteve Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I sincerely hope that the Oline comes together and the run game takes off so that people can finally see just how good Ryan is. Ideally in February.The OL, the last great chasm the Falcons have to hurdle before they can be a true, bonafide, Super Bowl-capable football team. If Quinn and the FO get that sorted out, Matt Ryan should earn at least one Super Bowl ring, if not several. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Radical Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I remember hearing this about another Atlanta QB a decade ago.Except, you know, Ookie sucked and Matt Ryan is one of the best in the NFL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwifalcon Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I personally think this year will be different yes the o-line is a work in progress but I finally think we have turned the corner defensively.Hence will give Ryan more opportunities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g-dawg Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 But, But .... I thought teams didn't game plan against Ryan?It has not been that hard the last two years. Just crank up the passrush because opposing teams know the Falcons cannot pass protect worth a dayum and have had no threat in the running game.Hopefully that changes this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tandy Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 It has not been that hard the last two years. Just crank up the passrush because opposing teams know the Falcons cannot pass protect worth a dayum and have had no threat in the running game.Hopefully that changes this year.And that's exactly what they did - but yet ...Ryan finished 4th then 5th in yards, 4th then 7th in completion%, 9th then 10th in TD's, 8th then 10th in passer rating - and last year finished 9th in average yards per attempt.He did his part even under the most difficult circumstances - and much of that without most of his weapons.That's what is so overlooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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