Falcons: No letting go ESPN Article

[Polar Bear Jones]

Quote:No letting go Matt Ryan isn't trying to forget about a 48-21 playoff loss -- he's embracing it
By Ashley Fox
ESPN.com
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Matt Ryan watched it. Not obsessively, but enough to see the mistakes, to remember, and to make sure 48-21 never happens to him again. For all but one team in the playoffs, the season ends abruptly, but for Ryan and his Atlanta Falcons, last season's ending was especially jarring. Atlanta was the No. 1 seed in the NFC, coming off a bye, playing at home where it had lost only once during the regular season, taking on a team coming off a short week after a wild-card game on the road. And Green Bay waxed the Falcons. Bam. Over. Thanks for playing.

"It stings," Ryan said earlier this week. "And it does stick with you."

With 48-21 in his back pocket serving as motivation, Ryan will try to continue his upward progression this season as one of the best young quarterbacks in the league. In his first three years in Atlanta, Ryan has led the Falcons to a 33-15 record, the best three-year run in franchise history. He has improved his accuracy, cut down on his turnovers and grown into a leader for a team that was at ground zero, post-Vick, post-Petrino, when he arrived.

Now comes the hard step: winning in the postseason. Ryan has gotten the Falcons into the playoffs twice in three years, but he did not play well either time. A loss on the road to Arizona as a rookie was forgivable, but two picks, including a game-changer at the end of the first half, in a 48-21 defeat? Not so much.

Ryan is where Peyton Manning was after his 41-0 playoff loss to the New York Jets in 2002: oh-for-the-postseason, with some fans questioning whether he can get it done when it matters most.

Inside the Falcons training facility in Flowery Branch, Ga., there is no doubt. Although Ryan threw two interceptions against the Packers, including one Tramon Williams returned for a touchdown as the first half ended, Atlanta's defense also gave up 442 yards and could barely get a hand on QB Aaron Rodgers' jersey. With plenty of time to throw, Rodgers put on a clinic, completing 31 of 36 passes for 366 yards and three touchdowns, and he ran for a fourth.

That is part of the reason Atlanta signed Minnesota defensive end Ray Edwards to a five-year, $30 million deal to play opposite John Abraham. Edwards does not have to get double-digit sacks as long as he can alleviate some of the pressure on Abraham, who was the Falcons' only effective pass-rusher last season. A better pass rush also should help Atlanta's secondary. The Falcons filled their other big need -- a direct nod to Ryan -- by moving up 21 spots in the draft to select Alabama's Julio Jones with the sixth overall pick. Last season, Atlanta ranked last in pass plays of 30-plus yards, with nine. Although Roddy White can stretch the field, he can't do it by himself. Jones, 6-foot-4 and 220-pounds, is a speedy receiver who caught 179 passes in college, second-most in school history. His arrival meant Harry Douglas could move to his preferred position in the slot, and with Tony Gonzalez at tight end and Michael Turner at running back, Ryan has weapons all over the field.

"Mike Smith said it well the other day: We made it very clear what our expectations are for Julio when we moved up from 27 to six," Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. "Julio has impressed me from day one."

He has impressed Ryan, too, despite the fact that Jones dropped a perfectly placed deep ball from him in the Falcons' third preseason game against Pittsburgh.

"He's going to make those plays," Ryan said. "He's made those kinds of plays his entire life, high school, college. He'll make them in the NFL, too. The important part is he keeps getting down the field. He's very fast. I've got to let go of that ball quickly."

If the expectations on Jones are big, the ones on Ryan are enormous. He made a big leap from his second to third season. He improved his accuracy from 58.3 percent to 62.5 percent, in part, Ryan said, because of how diligently he prepared. ("It puts you at ease on Sunday, and allows you to have confidence in what you're doing," Ryan said.) He also threw for 3,705 yards and 28 touchdowns, both career highs.

Dimitroff said Ryan's confidence is felt throughout the building -- on the practice field, in the meeting rooms, in the locker room. He said Ryan has taken more of an interest in the development of all areas of the team, not just the offense.

"He's always had a presence, but it's that much more evident this year," Dimitroff said. "He's a very, very competitive individual, as most quarterbacks at this level are, but he just seems so driven this year to continue to take this to new levels."

Like to that place Dimitroff, who cut his teeth with the New England Patriots, won't mention by name: the Super Bowl.

To get there, Ryan must show that he, like Rodgers, is clutch when it counts. A bunch of come-from-behind wins last year meant little after 48-21.

So Ryan watched the loss to the Packers, more than once, not to torture himself, but to learn. It stung, for sure, but it did help.

"One of the things that's really important and I've kind of learned over the years is you have to get past those tough losses and move forward," Ryan said. "You can't let it eat at you. You have to let it affect you the right way, serving as motivation and learning from that, not sending you into a funk where you can't move past it.

"I think everybody in training camp is beyond that and focused on this season. We'll use what we learned from the last three seasons, and I'll try to make me a better player."

And a winner in the postseason. Manning got his first playoff win on his fourth try. The feeling here is that Ryan will get his in his third try to make 48-21 just numbers in a book.

Ashley Fox covers the NFL for ESPN.com.

[Paulitik]

Great read, but the "Ryan must show that he, like Rodgers, is clutch when it counts." agitates me. Last season Rodgers was the guy who couldn't get it done in the clutch, couldn't win a playoff game, and it took 6 years, 3 of which he was riding the pine, to get to that point. Ryan is way ahead of schedule. Ryan, until this post season has been far more clutch that Rodgers ever has.

[phocis850]

Comparing the two, you can count on Rodgers from beginning to end. Ryan typically starts off slow and then gets better as the game progresses. Ryan still has plenty to learn and he's had to learn it all himself as opposed to a Favre figure.

[phalcon phil]

(09-02-2011 02:46 PM)phocis850 Wrote:  Comparing the two, you can count on Rodgers from beginning to end. Ryan typically starts off slow and then gets better as the game progresses. Ryan still has plenty to learn and he's had to learn it all himself as opposed to a Favre figure.

This is exactly how I feel. When Ryan can put together complete games instead of waiting for the 4th qtr to show up then I'll put him in that elite category.

[Beef]

(09-02-2011 05:20 PM)phalcon phil Wrote:  This is exactly how I feel. When Ryan can put together complete games instead of waiting for the 4th qtr to show up then I'll put him in that elite category.

Do you ever get tired of just saying stuff before fact checking and making sure you can't be so easily contradicted with a couple clicks of the mouse?

Ryan 2010 passing:

1st Half: 198/323, 61%, 2148 yards, 17 TD's, 5 ints, 92 qbr
2nd Half: 157/243, 65%, 1540 yards, 11 TD's, 4 ints, 91 qbr

1st Quarter: 84/128, 66%, 931 yards, 5 TD's, 0 ints, 100 qbr
2nd Quarter: 114/195, 59%, 1217 yards, 12 TD's, 5 ints, 87 qbr
3rd Quarter: 80/122, 66%, 739 yards, 5 TD's, 1 int, 92 qbr
4th Quarter: 77/121, 64%, 801 yards, 6 TD's, 3 ints, 89 qbr

When Winning: 136/214, 64%, 1333 yards, 7 TD's, 4 ints, 84 qbr
When Losing: 129/204, 63%, 1456 yards, 13 TD's, 4 ints, 98 qbr
When Tied: 92/153, 60%, 916 yards, 8 TD's, 1 int, 92 qbr

When Blitzed: 128/201, 64%, 1534 yards, 13 TD's, 4 ints, 100 qbr (6 sacks)


He throws more in the first half than second. He has his most efficient output in the 1st quarter. He puts up most of his passing TD's in the 2nd quarter. And he plays his best when he's losing and getting blitzed.

Considering the fact he's really only had Roddy and a slowly declining Gonzalez to throw to and he's only played 3 seasons, it's absurd to criticize Ryan with such incorrect statements. He's the most "complete" and "clutch" 3rd year QB in history and only going to be better with a real arsenal of weapons to finally throw to.

This is going to be a special year folks. Just be patient and get ready for the ride.

[The Falconer]

Beef, thank you for the stats.
It won't matter to phil, he's just a troll.
So many "fans" have complained over the years that our team is terrible, yet for the last 3 years we've finally had that franchise QB that we could depend on, and what do they do?
Complain about him.
Sheesh

Also, anyone can say whatever they want, but Rodgers didn't do it all by himself, i'm pretty sure that his team's defense actually had more to do with the run they made in the playoffs than he did.
(now you can talk about the GB/ATL game all you want, but look at the philly game and the bears game, GB's defense won those games for them not ARodgers. So if the defense doesn't get them past Philly, then there is no crazy great game he had against us. Everyone forgets that)

Also, GB got lucky as hell to even make it into the playoffs.
If for instance NYG punter doesn't punt to deshawn jackson, and the giants win that game, then GB is riding the pine.

Perspective people, everything has to be taken in perspective.

[phalcon phil]

LOL @ defense carrying rodgers to a super bowl.

and you call me a troll?

I'm not the only one here who thinks it. There are people that are bigger Ryan fans than I am that feel the same way. I just think he's an average qb throughout the first 3 quarters but that he's really special at the end of the game.

[phocis850]

When Blitzed: 128/201, 64%, 1534 yards, 13 TD's, 4 ints, 100 qbr (6 sacks)

That is what I love the most. Ryan is a great QB and will only get better with time, but DANG, look at that stat. That is a dream stat for nearly every QB. And the other stats don't really tell the entire story. After sitting there and watching every single game last year I remember something that the stats don't show. We did a LOT of 3 and outs on our first drives. I HATED getting the ball first because we could move the ball more effectively later on in the quarter.

Now as for the 3rd qtr, that one is interesting. We loved those long sustained drives and they lasted in the 3rd qtr, however, I'd scream at the tv to wait till the 4th qtr to score. Why? Because for some reason it was nearly impossible for us to score in the 3rd. I don't know what it was but once we drove the ball 60-70 yards we just couldn't punch it in to save our lives. But if the qtr ran out and the 4th qtr began, it was almost a sure bet that we'd score. Did anyone else notice that?

[phalcon phil]

Amen Phocis. I'm glad you said it instead of me. I really don't see the best of Ryan til late in the games for the most part. Maybe that's Mularkey I don't know. It just seems like the offense just kind of dinks and dunks and plods along with too many 3 and outs and only gets going when needed. Don't get me wrong a win is a win and I'll take them how they come but why the hell does Ryan have so many comebacks? Because we were behind. Til the end of the game. How many games are we suffering mild strokes and heart attacks when we should be cradling a 10 to 21 point lead?

[mdrake34]

(09-02-2011 02:46 PM)phocis850 Wrote:  Comparing the two, you can count on Rodgers from beginning to end. Ryan typically starts off slow and then gets better as the game progresses. Ryan still has plenty to learn and he's had to learn it all himself as opposed to a Favre figure.

Rodgers may have absorbed some by simply watching Favre, but Favre made it well known he was going to tutor Rodgers.