Breaking down the Falcons' ranking
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... will help the offense a lot and Matt Ryan will be a good quarterback -- at some point. But it's going to take some time for Ryan and the Falcons to become contenders. ...

Boston College Football Preview
Sports of Boston — ... With summer winding down and fall approaching, that means football is right around the corner.  Boston College, led by first year coach Jeff Jagodzinski and senior quarterback Matt Ryan, started the season 8-0, rising to #2 in the polls.  They went on to win their first ACC Atlantic Division title, though they lost to Virginia Tech in the ACC Title tilt.  BC went on to defeat Michigan State in the Champs Sports Bowl for a nation-leading eighth consecutive bowl victory.  ...

Falcons letting QB battle play itself out
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... There is a very interesting situation playing out in Atlanta right now. The Falcons know Matt Ryan is their quarterback of the future, but they don't know if he's the quarterback of the present. ...

Falcons waiting to pick this week's QB
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan had a strong debut against Jacksonville, but the Falcons aren't ready to anoint him the starter just yet. In fact, they're not even ready to name a starter for Saturday's preseason game with Indianapolis. ...

Falcons have to decide best approach with Ryan
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Picture a scale that's perfectly balanced. That's what the Atlanta Falcons are looking at as they prepare to make one of the most important decisions in franchise history. On one side, they've got the quarterback who gives them the best chance to win on opening day. On the other, they've got the quarterback who gives them the best chance to lose. Problem is, it's the same guy on both sides. It's Matt Ryan. He's the third-overall pick in this year's draft. He's the guy with a contract worth $72 million over six years. ...

Ryan makes QB Choice easy for Falcons
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Coach Mike Smith went ahead and did the obvious Sunday, announcing rookie Matt Ryan will open the regular season as the starting quarterback. After Ryan performed well in extended playing time against the Titans on Friday night, he pretty much made the choice for Smith. ...

Backup QBs a strength in NFC South
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... at No. 13 and that's about right. Redman came out of premature retirement last year and ended up playing well. The team considered sticking with Redman until rookie Matt Ryan showed he was ready. But Redman showed, under some tough circumstances last year, that he's got some moxie. If Ryan stumbles, Redman's not a bad alternative. ...

Little things must go right in the NFC South
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas Jake Delhomme's elbow, Jeremy Shockey's attitude, Jeff Garcia's age and Matt Ryan's contract have been talked and written about repeatedly for the last month. They could be talked about for the next four months and any of the above could help decide the NFC South title. But, often times, it's not the big stories that determine a season. Often, it's the things that seem subtle that emerge as big topics. Here's a look at three under-the-radar things that have to go ...

Falcons: Cutdown analysis
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... made the team. Shockley is a bit of a local cult hero because he played at the University of Georgia, but this move wasn't about popularity. It was about Shockley's potential. Yes, he's a project, but the Falcons think they might be able to develop Shockley into something. They'll have time because rookie Matt Ryan is going to be the starter and veteran ...

BC Opens Chris Crane Era With Shutout of Kent State
Sports of Boston — ... going to fare replacing Matt Ryan? With the departure of a number of offensive and defensive starters, former coach Tom O’Brien’s key players have mainly left the program. Jeff Jagodzinski’s players have passed the first test with tonight’s 21-0 victory. ...

Audibles: NFC South Week 1 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... , White could become the next great pass rusher -- for one day, anyway. White is looking at what could be the luckiest draw of Week One. He'll be out there trying to sack rookie quarterback Matt Ryan in his debut. ...

Audibles: NFC North Week 1 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... No less important, however, has been a quieter effort to improve a run defense that has ranked in the bottom third of the NFL for the past three years. Even after trading Pro Bowl defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, the Lions are hoping to bring a scrappier and more effective run defense to Atlanta this weekend. They'll need it, considering the Falcons intend to rely on new tailback Michael Turner and holdover Jerious Norwood while rookie quarterback Matt Ryan adjusts to the professional game. Lions coach Rod ...

Lions steamrolled in Atlanta
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Conventional wisdom suggested the Lions would sell out against the run, forcing rookie quarterback Matt Ryan to beat them. Instead, Turner ran for 117 yards in the first quarter alone and Ryan only had to attempt 13 passes. ...

Breakdown: NFC South
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... That's what Matt Ryan did against the Lions, but that doesn't mean he'll turn into Carr or Weinke. Ryan is a different personality than Carr, who never recovered from the shell shock of playing behind a horrible Houston offensive line. ...

Breakdown: NFC North
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Conventional wisdom suggested the Lions would sell out against the run, forcing rookie quarterback Matt Ryan to beat them. Instead, Turner ran for 117 yards in the first quarter alone and Ryan only had to attempt 13 passes. ...

The NFC South's most irreplaceable players
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... had to be the featured back. McClure isn't a big name, but the veteran center is hugely important with rookie quarterback Matt Ryan behind him. McClure has started 97 consecutive games and he's holding together a young offensive line that looked pretty good in its debut. ...

Is Flacco taking same path as Big Ben?
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Coming out of Delaware, Flacco also had questions marks concerning whether he was ready for the NFL game. At 6-foot-6, 230 pounds and with a strong arm, Flacco looked the part. But he fell to No. 18 overall, where the Ravens snagged him. He was the second quarterback selected, 15 slots behind Atlanta's tabbing of Boston College's Matt Ryan. ...

Audibles: NFC South Week 2 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... the way they have in the past. Maybe Tampa Bay's defense is too young at the same time it's too old and there's not enough in between. We'll find out if last week was just a fluke for Tampa Bay's defense or a real problem because Atlanta did a pretty good job tearing apart Detroit's defense last week. For those who don't make the connection, Detroit is coached by Rod Marinelli, who spent years at Kiffin's side and subscribes to all of his theories. Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan looked very poised against Marinelli's defense and running ...

NFC South: Monday afternoon quarterback
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... He's going to get every touch near the goal line. Fantasy dud of the week: Jeremy Shockey. With Marques Colston out with an injury, the Saints were expected to turn more to their tight end. They didn't. Shockey had two catches for 22 yards. So far, Shockey's been a model citizen for the Saints. But they should ask the Giants what happens when Shockey doesn't have enough passes thrown his way. Reality check of the week: Matt Ryan and Tracy Porter were the two rookie sensations in Week ...

Audibles: AFC West Week 3 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... The speculation prior to the April draft was that Kansas City could try to move up with its gaggle of draft picks and take Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan. ...

Audibles: NFC South Week 3 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... I'm guessing that had something to do with the competition. Drawing Kansas City in the Georgia Dome this week is probably the best thing that can happen for rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, who took a beating from the Bucs. ...

Flaws, strengths of NFC South becoming evident
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... That's also true of rookie Matt Ryan in Atlanta, where the Falcons have been the division's most surprising team. Sure, their wins have come against Detroit and Kansas City, but the Falcons have figured out they can keep the heat off Ryan if they run ...

Audibles: NFC South Week 4 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... In their wins, the Falcons have run the ball and taken the pressure off rookie quarterback Matt Ryan. In their lone loss, Ryan looked like a rookie quarterback because Tampa Bay took the running game away. ...

Boldin situation triggers blame game
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Matt Ryan was throwing passes for the Falcons in the final 2 minutes of a 24-9 defeat to Carolina. St. Louis' ...

Audibles: NFC South Week 5 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... But it won't be easy. Atlanta hasn't played well on the road and 70,000 Cheeseheads aren't going to make life easy for rookie quarterback Matt Ryan. He's been just fine in the two home games, where ...

NFC South playing from position of strength
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... , the best coach you've never heard of, has the Falcons believing. Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan and running back ...

Rapid Reaction: Falcons 22, Bears 20
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... ATLANTA -- You kidding me? I was almost finished rapidly reacting to what appeared to be a rousing Chicago Bears victory, the kind that makes a good season special. I had praised Kyle Orton and Rashied Davis for their sharp 17-yard touchdown connection, which had given the Bears a 20-19 lead with 11 seconds left. And somehow, the Bears walked off the field 22-20 losers. A squib kick, a 26-yard pass from Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan to Roddy White, and a 48-yard field goal from ...

Anatomy of 11 unbelievable seconds
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Babich said he didn't feel comfortable playing man-to-man defense in that situation, an understandable sentiment considering Hillenmeyer's tough spot. That ruled out putting heavy pressure on Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan and left the Bears in a relatively soft Cover 2 defense. ...

Explaining a certain power ranking
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Quarterback Matt Ryan is pretty polished for a rookie. Ryan has some scary weapons and a creative play caller in offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey. Defensively, the Falcons won an interior slugfest with the Bears' offensive line. And you always have a chance to win a close game with ...

Scouts Inc.: Ryan is a difference-maker in Atlanta
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... As we inch toward the midway point of the 2008 season, the clear-cut front-runner for the NFL's rookie of the year award is Atlanta's Matt Ryan. The Falcons raised eyebrows when they selected the Boston College product with the third overall pick of April's draft, choosing a quarterback of the future over defensive help that appeared to be a more pressing need. Now first-year general manager Thomas Dimitroff looks like a genius for jumping on Ryan. ...

Blank: Falcons moving through 'the process'
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... They talked some about Atlanta's 4-2 start, which naturally led to rookie quarterback Matt Ryan. "I said, 'Roger, when I was 23 years old, I can assure you I didn't carry myself the way he does and I thought I was a pretty mature young man,'" Blank said. "I'm amazed at his personal maturity. It's just shocking to me." Largely because of Ryan, there's a lot of shock in Atlanta -- and across the league -- these days. Ryan, the third overall pick in this year's draft from Boston College, is playing with uncommon poise and the Falcons are ...

Rapid Reaction: Packers 34, Colts 17
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky GREEN BAY, Wisc. -- The Baltimore game was supposed to signal a reversal. The Colts were finished struggling. They'd found themselves against the Ravens, forced the action, controlled the game. If rookie Matt Ryan could bring his Falcons to Lambeau Field and win, surely Peyton Manning could do the same for the Colts, who'd pick up where they left off in the impressive win over the Ravens, right? Um, no. The sloppy Colts failed miserably in Green Bay, ...

Audibles: NFC South Week 8 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... The latest chapter in the story that's been Matt Ryan's rookie year is the homecoming. The quarterback grew up just outside Philadelphia and his return, along with the surprising success of the Falcons, has been a big story in the local media. ...

Audibles: NFC East Week 8 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson wants to confuse Falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan at every turn. You might not see six or seven sacks, but Ryan will get hit almost every time he goes back to throw. The Falcons are one of the best rushing teams in the league. ...

Balance key to Atlanta's fast start
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Even after deciding to go with rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, Smith hasn't veered from his philosophy. He's let Ryan throw more than a lot of people might have expected and that's been allowed because the running game has been good enough to occupy defenses. ...

Asomugha lives on a lonely island in Oakland
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Listening to opposing coaches, it doesn't sound like the Asomugha boycott will end anytime soon. It's doubtful that Atlanta rookie Matt Ryan will take on Asomugha on Sunday when the Falcons visit Oakland. Saints quarterback ...

Audibles: NFC North Week 9 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2007. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was the No. 3 overall pick this year. ...

BC Comeback Fails, Clemson Seizes Leather Helmet
Sports of Boston — ... , and Harper showed flashes of the offensive attack I thought they would have.  So, that puts my predictions at 6-2 against the 5-3 BC is at now.  I had next week’s Norte Dame game as a loss, so we can get back to par with a BC win next weekend.  ND played the Eagles tough last season, really causing some problems for Matt Ryan.  With the downgrade on BC’s side and the improvement ND was showing, this looked like a vulnerable game for BC.  However, with the Irish’s loss to Pittsburgh, they still have not beaten a team with a winning record and do have their own ...

Rapid Reaction: Falcons 24, Raiders 0
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... But let's stop looking for ways to shoot holes in the Falcons' very impressive half season. Let's look at why they are where they are and how they can get even better. We all know plenty about rookie quarterback Matt Ryan and running back ...

Video: Brady Quinn to start
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Trey Wingo and Trent Dilfer discuss the change at quarterback in Cleveland and tell you who is the better rookie, Joe Flacco or Matt Ryan. Also, what is wrong with the Jaguars?

Beyond first round, draft shaping up as a hit
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas The NFC South's rookie class has been getting a lot of attention, but it probably should be getting more. Way beyond first-round picks Matt Ryan, Sam Baker, Jonathan Stewart, Jeff Otah, Sedrick Ellis and Aqib Talib, this class is making significant contributions. Each division team is getting good production from its first-round choices and beyond. Time to single out some guys who weren't taken in the first round but are producing. ...

NFC South midseason awards
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... valuable player (off the field): Carolina cornerback Ken Lucas. He might have made the biggest play of the entire season back in August. After getting punched out by teammate Steve Smith, Lucas instantly forgave the wide receiver -- and truly meant it. In the process, Lucas might have saved Smith's career, the jobs of coach John Fox and general manager Marty Hurney and set up the Panthers for a big season. Best rookie: Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan. No need for an explanation. Best rookie ...

Breaking down the division's QBs
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Part of the reason New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees is having such a good season is because his receivers are catching the ball. Although Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey each have missed significant time with injuries, the rest of the receivers haven't let Brees down. Although he's thrown far more passes than the rest of the NFC South quarterbacks, Brees has been the victim of less drops than Carolina's Jake Delhomme, Atlanta's Matt Ryan and Tampa Bay's Jeff Garcia and Brian Griese. New ...

From No. 2 combos to No. 1 WR, White grows up in a hurry
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... White's been a big part of the reason for Atlanta's surprising 5-3 start. His 48 catches for 733 yards and five touchdowns have helped rookie quarterback Matt Ryan look like a veteran. ...

Falcons' White grows up in a hurry
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... White's been a big part of the reason for Atlanta's surprising 5-3 start. His 48 catches for 733 yards and five touchdowns have helped rookie quarterback Matt Ryan look like a veteran. ...

Around the NFC South
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... he might be able to play Sunday against the Raiders. As always, look for coach John Fox to take the cautious approach on this injury. If Stewart plays, I wouldn't expect a lot of carries. Defensive tackle Darwin Walker has been ruled out for Sunday. It looks like Andrew Walter will start at quarterback in place of the injured JaMarcus Russell for Oakland. Like it matters. FALCONS We've heard plenty about Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and John Abraham and that's all justified. ...

Eagles Shut Out Notre Dame to Win Sixth Straight Holy War
Sports of Boston — ... My preseason pick was Notre Dame in this game as Charlie Weis’ squad was improving last season and clamped Matt Ryan down last season and nearly stole the victory.  So, despite a couple missed calls, my preseason slate to this point is even with BC’s season to this point at 6-3 en route to a predicted 7-5 season.  I liked Florida State before kickoff and I will stick to it. ...

Atlanta's defense breaking out
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas ATLANTA -- We've heard a lot about the rapid development of rookie quarterback Matt Ryan. But how about the development of Atlanta's defense? A week after shutting out the Raiders, the Falcons have held the Saints' high-power offense to two first-half field goals. They've done it with a secondary that doesn't really have any big names and they've done it with starting cornerback Brent Grimes sitting out most of the first half with an ankle injury. Domonique Foxworth and rookie ...

Defense has been quiet key for Falcons
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... The fact is the Atlanta Falcons shut down the league's most prolific offense in a 34-20 victory against the Saints at the Georgia Dome. Forget rookie quarterback Matt Ryan (248 passing yards and two touchdowns) and running back Michael Turner (97 rushing yards and a touchdown) for just a minute. There's another reason why the 6-3 Falcons are the NFL's most surprising team. The unsung story is the defense. It, like everything else with the Falcons these days, is far better than anybody expected. "You've just ...

Revisiting the NFC South WR rankings
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... missed the first two games due to a suspension and the Panthers haven't been able to throw the ball in the last two weeks. Jenkins is showing he can be a strong complementary receiver. A lot has been made about how White and Jenkins are helping rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, but I think it might be the other way around. White and Jenkins looked like they were on their way to being busts when ...

Atlanta's Smith a clone of Carolina's Fox
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... That philosophy has worked well through most of Fox's tenure, made him the most successful coach in franchise history and helped run the Bill Cowher fan club out of town this year. That formula, along with hitting the jackpot on rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, has made Smith the toast of Atlanta 10 games into his career. ...

Atlanta rookies just keep emerging
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... We know all about the free-agent signing of running back Michael Turner and the drafting of quarterback Matt Ryan with the third-overall pick. Both wonderful moves. But what's really jumping out at me right now is the rest of Dimitroff's first draft class. It seems like it gets better every week. Today's evidence: Harry Douglas. The second of Atlanta's three third-round picks, Douglas scored Atlanta's first touchdown on a 3-yard run. He's a wide receiver by trade, but the run and his contributions as the punt returner ...

Atlanta's Douglas smashes through rookie wall
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... When Douglas, the greatest rookie show to hit Atlanta since the days of Matt Ryan, walks into the team's facility at Flowery Branch on Monday, he'll be able to hang his clothes wherever he wants. But it hasn't always been that way. ...

Audibles: NFC South Week 13 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... and Atlanta's Matt Ryan. Understandable since Brees is on pace to set the single-season record for passing yards and Ryan is having the best season of any rookie since Dan Marino. ...

BC Soars Past Maryland Into ACC Title Game
Sports of Boston — ... Coach Jeff Jagodzinski deserves a lot of credit for taking this team to its second consecutive ACC Championship Game.  After losing NFL first rounder Matt Ryan and their primary running backs, leaving them to depend on ...

Forte's chances for rookie of year
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... isn't getting more discussion as a rookie of the year candidate. Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan is the favorite for the award and some people are also pushing Baltimore quarterback ...

2008 ACC Championship Preview: Boston College-Virginia Tech
Sports of Boston — ... Last year, Matt Ryan engineered a scintillating comeback win in the regular season tilt, but the Eagles fell in the Championship with the biggest play being the blocked PAT returned for two points for the Hokies.  Again this season, the Eagles won the regular season match and hope to pull off the sweep and earn the Orange Bowl berth. ...

Thomas Leads Saints Past Falcons
The National Football Post » Hot News and Rumors — ... kept alive their slim playoff hopes with a 29-25 victory over NFC South rival Atlanta on Sunday. Thomas scored his first touchdown on a 7-yard screen early in the fourth quarter. He also scored the winning touchdown on 5-yard toss sweep, a score he set up with his 88-yard kickoff return after Matt Ryan ’s 12-yard scramble had given the Falcons a 25-22 lead. ...

NFC South MVPs
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Atlanta Falcons, RB Michael Turner: Matt Ryan deserves heavy consideration. He's been the best rookie quarterback since Dan Marino. But none of that would have been possible without Turner. He has given the Falcons a consistently good running game and has put up better numbers than LaDainian Tomlinson, the guy he spent four years backing up in San Diego. That's taken the pressure off Ryan and kept the defense fresh. Without Turner, the Falcons wouldn't be anywhere close to the playoff picture. ...

At 9-5, Falcons soaring and Bucs stumbling
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas ATLANTA -- If you've seen Matt Ryan play on television, you already have a pretty good sense of what the Atlanta Falcons' rookie quarterback is like as a person. In Ryan, you've also got a sense of what the Falcons are all about. He's cool, he's smooth and, even though you know he's 23 years old, you sometimes need a reminder. Take what happened in Ryan's news conference after Sunday's 13-10 overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Georgia Dome. ...

Pro Bowl analysis: NFC South
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... , who has 15.5 sacks and rookie quarterback Matt Ryan. Abraham might have victimized because he's not an every-down player, but his stats speak for themselves. I'll make a strong case that Ryan should be in the Pro Bowl. No argument with ...

Pro Bowl analysis: NFC West
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... for the starting role. The Falcons' Matt Ryan was the odd man out. He'll have plenty more chances in the future. Voting from coaches and players came at the right time for Warner and Boldin. Neither has played quite as well over the last few weeks. Both have the numbers and overall resumes to warrant starting spots. ...

Fixing the Lions
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... 10. Resist the temptation to draft a blue-chip quarterback immediately. The Lions are a year or more away from being the 2008 Falcons, who selected Matt Ryan No. 3 overall and inserted him immediately into what surprisingly turned out to be a playoff-caliber lineup. They should use their picks to create a good environment for any young quarterback they eventually draft. These days, teams can't draft a blue-chip quarterback and sit him on the bench for three years. And remember, for every Ryan there is a Harrington. ...

Audibles: NFC North Week 16 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... and Matt Ryan -- have overshadowed the most important element in this game. Which team will control the ball better with its running game? ...

Audibles: NFC South Week 16 preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... With a home game next week against St. Louis, the Falcons are pretty much guaranteed a 10-win season, but they want to make it 11. Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan didn't have his best game last week, but the Falcons still were able to win against Tampa Bay. ...

Smith and Ryan continue to make history
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Atlanta coach Mike Smith and quarterback Matt Ryan continued to make history with Sunday's victory against Minnesota. ...

Falcons Complete Amazing Turnaround
The National Football Post » Hot News and Rumors — ... ’s incarceration. Less than an hour after watching his team clinch a most unlikely playoff berth, things are coming together much faster than even the white-haired optimist ever could imagine. Matt Ryan threw for a touchdown and made no big mistakes, ...

Coach of the year debate
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... early on. The Ravens had to tread a more delicate path in bringing in some new coaches such as Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, while keeping others such as defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. They brought in some new players to help certain spots and trusted others to bounce back, either from injury or poor performance. Baltimore also traded down in the draft to land more picks and first-round quarterback Joe Flacco, who was a bigger unknown than Matt Ryan or Jake Long. So there were certainly some issues with the Ravens. ...

Draftees Won’t Face Wage-Scale Change
The National Football Post » Hot News and Rumors — ... to shift more money to proven vets — but it will not impact this year’s eligible underclassmen that are scheduled to enter the 2010 draft after their senior seasons,” Goodell said.“In any case, we believe underclassmen should always stay in school and fulfill their eligibility. History shows that underclassmen that stay in school tend to do better as NFL players, especially quarterbacks — Peyton Manning , Eli Manning , Philip Rivers , Jay Cutler , Matt Ryan , and Joe Flacco all played four years of college football. And, there is a long ...

Why not the Falcons?
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... 4. The rookie quarterback is way better than you think. Smith trusts Matt Ryan so much that the entire playbook is open to the quarterback and has been for quite some time. There have been young quarterbacks who have gone deep into the playoffs (Pittsburgh's ...

Questions linger as Cardinals face playoffs
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... The Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan has shown more moxie than the typical rookie quarterback, but if Wilson can fool him even once, the game could turn for Arizona. ...

NFC South team evaluations
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... season. Scary part is, they have a real chance to do some damage in the postseason because they're carrying momentum and have shown an ability to get better each week. All this seemed inconceivable back at the start of the season when the Falcons had a roster that looked bare and a new coach (Mike Smith) that almost nobody had ever heard of. But every move Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff made seemed to be a home run. They drafted quarterback Matt Ryan and signed free agent running back ...

Ryan wins Offensive Rookie of Year
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... This should come as absolutely no surprise. Atlanta's Matt Ryan has been selected as the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. Ryan, who started all season, threw for 3,440 yards and 16 touchdowns while leading the Falcons to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth. I get a lot of questions about awards and there are a lot of them out there, but this is the important one. In many contracts, there are incentives for certain awards, but the language usually is very limited and specific. The Associated Press ...

AFC North team evaluations
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... of the Ravens after a downtrodden and injury-riddled 2007. But the Ravens are back and in the playoffs, starting with Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins. With a stout defense and an improving offense, Baltimore has a puncher's chance to make a run in January. Grade: A- Biggest surprise: If it were not for the equally impressive development of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, rookie quarterback Joe Flacco would receive a lot ...

Making sense of the Cardinals' defense
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... As Arizona prepares for offensive rookie of the year Matt Ryan on Saturday at University of Phoenix Stadium, does anyone recall what happened the last time Arizona faced a quarterback in his first two NFL seasons? ...

Ryan and Flacco will be linked forever in history
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas No matter how the rest of their careers play out, Atlanta's Matt Ryan and Baltimore's Joe Flacco are going to be paired together as rookie quarterbacks who took their teams to the playoffs. Their early success may even open the door for teams to play young quarterbacks earlier in the future. But history says the odds are against young quarterbacks doing what Ryan and Flacco have done. Since the NFL-AFL merger, only six rookies have started playoff games and here's how they fared: ...

Turner keeps burning opposing defenses
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... in San Diego. Fresh legs and a fresh body made Turner precisely the type of workhorse running back the Falcons knew they needed and this was long before they even knew they would draft quarterback Matt Ryan to run the offense. ...

Rapid Reaction: Cardinals 30, Falcons 24
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas GLENDALE, Ariz. -- This time, there were no surprises from the Atlanta Falcons. The team that made a season out of repeatedly doing what seemed impossible couldn't do the little things against the Arizona Cardinals. Instead, what always was possible finally happened. Quarterback Matt Ryan finally played like a rookie. Running back Michael Turner couldn't break anything and looked like he was playing behind a suddenly-mediocre offensive line. A defense ...

Atlanta's Ryan says he didn't hit "rookie wall"
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... GLENDALE, Ariz. -- There's suddenly a lot of talk about Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan perhaps hitting the "rookie wall" at some point in the last few weeks. ...

Season is over for Falcons, but "the process'' isn't
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... That was good enough to bring life back to a franchise and its fan base. The Falcons got more out of quarterback Matt Ryan than anyone could have imagined. The NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year never really played like a rookie -- until Saturday. The Cardinals intercepted Ryan intercepted twice and sacked him three times. He completed 26 of 40 passes for 199 yards. ...

No nerves early for Flacco
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... quarterback Joe Flacco is living up to his "Joe Cool" moniker early. So far, Flacco hasn't shown any signs of nervousness as the Ravens are tied with the Dolphins, 3-3, after one quarter. Flacco completed four of his first seven passes for 70 yards to lead to an early field goal. He also drove Baltimore down the field on the opening possession but tailback Le'Ron McClain fumbled to stall the drive. On Saturday, Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan struggled with three turnovers in a 30-24 wild-card loss to ...

Ravens remember the Titans
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Perhaps Flacco learned a hard lesson from fellow rookie signal caller Matt Ryan, who struggled mightily in his first postseason start. Ryan threw for more yards than Flacco with 199, but he also pressed the issue and threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, which was the difference in ...

BC to Fire Head Football Coach Jeff Jagodzinski
Sports of Boston — ... Jagodzinski rode Matt Ryan last season, in which BC rose to as high as #2 in the polls, but this season was much more of a test with major pieces, Ryan included, graduating from the program.  Jags impressed many in guiding the team to a 9-3 regular season, including the division title.  BC was only anticipated to place about fifth (of six) in the division and was looking at a lower tier bowl. ...

Relaunching 2008 in the AFC East
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... The Jets had the sixth overall pick. They were infatuated with the Ohio State pass-rush specialist enough to snag him there even though many other teams had him slotted late in the first round or early second. Gholston proved to be a long-term project. He was invisible on Sundays and eventually deactivated. Might the Jets have been able to use Jerod Mayo? Sedrick Ellis? Derrick Harvey? Ryan Clady? 7. What if the Dolphins had drafted Matt Ryan instead of Jake Long? The Long selection ...

BC Promotes Spaziani to Head Coach
Sports of Boston — ... An internal promotion also seems to make sense here as the existing coaching staff seems to have gotten more out of the players than most would have.  The Eagles won their second consecutive division title with what appeared to be far less talent, specifically at the quarterback position.  They lost Matt Ryan to the Atlanta Falcons and replaced him with two guys who had virtually no college experience under their belts in ...

Pioli has some burning issues to resolve
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... The Chiefs have the No. 3 pick in the draft so the team could go get a franchise quarterback such as Sam Bradford or Matthew Stafford. It would make sense if Pioli's first move in Kansas City was to try to answer the quarterback issue. His former colleague in New England, Thomas Dimitroff, did just that in his first year in Atlanta last year when he drafted Matt Ryan with the No. 3 pick. That move worked out fairly well, didn't it? ...

Did Ryan crash into the 'rookie wall'?
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... There has been a lot of talking about Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan hitting the "rookie wall'' late in the season. He repeatedly said that was the case, but we might not ever know for sure. ...

Panthers have to ponder QB options
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... "This team's never going anywhere this way," one despondent fan said to another. "What this team needs is Matt Ryan at quarterback and Bill Cowher as coach.'' ...

What to know about Arizona's Defense
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Why should anyone take such a defense seriously? Because it's playing much better than the usual regular-season measures would ever indicate. 2. These guys are star stoppers. The Atlanta Falcons' Michael Turner (49), the Carolina Panthers' DeAngelo Williams (69) and the Philadelphia Eagles' Brian Westbrook (71) combined for 189 total yards in three playoff games against the Cardinals. Quarterbacks Matt Ryan, Jake Delhomme and Donovan McNabb combined for eight interceptions against ...

Atlanta's Dimitroff is Executive of the Year
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Dimitroff was a driving force in turning the Falcons into a big success story in his first season with the team. He made all the right moves in the draft, choosing quarterback Matt Ryan, tackle ...

Bucs hire Jagodzinski to coach offense
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... This is a key hire for new Bucs coach Raheem Morris, who is only 32 and has a history on the defensive side of the ball. Jagodzinski was instrumental in the development of Matt Ryan at Boston College and has previous NFL experience. ...

Ranking the NFC South coaching staffs
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... That process is going to be a lot smoother because the Falcons can hit the ground running. If Mularkey and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave were able to get so much out of quarterback Matt Ryan in his rookie year, imagine what they can do when they've got him for a full offseason. ...

Don't expect a bidding war for Vick
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Not a surprise, really, because that's the only way the Falcons can get anything in return for the guy who used to be the face of the franchise. Matt Ryan's established in that role now and it's been obvious Vick's not coming back to Atlanta. ...

Combine will put Lions in focus
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Miami gave offensive tackle Jake Long last year as the top pick in the draft. If anything concerns the Lions about Stafford's physical or mental makeup, they will have to consider possible fallback options to minimize the financial risk. The Dolphins took that path with Long, opting for a talented but grounded player who could fill a hole for the next decade. In doing so, Miami passed over Virginia defensive end Chris Long, Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan and Arkansas tailback ...

Sparano: Pennington makes Henne better
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... things," Sparano said. "Henne in the preseason ran our football team pretty well." I asked Sparano if he would have been comfortable with Henne as the starter. "I would've had to have been comfortable with it, and knowing Chad right now, if he was in that situation would've been comfortable in it," Sparano replied. "You look at the other two young quarterbacks that had to play this year, they did a pretty nice job." Rookies Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco led their teams to the playoffs. Pennington did ...

Sizing up Stafford, Sanchez at combine
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Scheduling conflicts have prevented Stafford from following through on plans to play golf with Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. Stafford has yet to meet Ryan, but Saints quarterback ...

Falcons to look at TE Smith
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... The only thing they're missing on offense is a tight end that can go out and catch 30 or 40 balls. That would be a nice new toy for quarterback Matt Ryan. ...

Finding context in the Stafford debate
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Carson Palmer USC 2003 16.35 Matt Ryan Boston College 2008 9.14 ...

Smith says he's going to Atlanta
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan rarely threw to his tight ends last season and the Falcons want to give him another toy to work with. Smith caught 37 passes, including three touchdowns, for Philadelphia last season. Smith, 28, previously had two seasons where he caught at least 50 passes. ...

On the Clock: Atlanta Falcons
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Dream scenario: The Falcons already had the ultimate dream scenario last year when they hit big at quarterback (Matt Ryan), left tackle ( ...

NFC South looking to get grounded
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... and let Matt Ryan take a shot downfield from time to time. That's basically what Carolina does with its "Double Trouble'' backfield of ...

NFC South evening roundup
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... with the Falcons. Reportedly, the airline will focus its sports marketing efforts mainly on Major League Baseball and the New York City area. Kind of interesting when you've got Matt Ryan and the potential for the Falcons to be very good for the next decade in your own backyard. ...

The merits and perils of passing in the draft
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... It seems to make perfect sense. If you look at the chart to your below, you can see how rookie contract values decreased in 2008 with the exception of Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan. (Quarterback contracts generally don't adhere strictly to the slotting system.) The difference between the No. 1 and No. 4 picks last season was $4 million in guarantees and $1.55 million on an annual basis. ...

Daily mailbag: The dreaded 'multi-pass'
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... The NFL slotting system calls for players to be paid based on where they were selected in the draft, not where they were ranked beforehand. There are occasionally adjustments based on position; Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan received a more lucrative contract last year at No. 3 than Miami offensive lineman ...

My Predictions: Cowboys will win 10 games
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Oct. 25 Atlanta -- Cowboys welcome a playoff team from '08. I think Matt Ryan will face a much different type of pressure this season. Now, he's expected to perform like a stud quarterback. He might take his lumps in this one. Cowboys improve to 5-1. ...

Vetting quarterbacks as No. 1 overall picks
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... quarterback Matt Ryan. The Falcons drafted Ryan with the No. 3 overall pick last year and watched as he earned NFL rookie of the year honors. ...

Five burning draft questions in The Beast
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... for a spin -- and it didn't like the results. After investing all this time (and a first-round pick) in Campbell, it's looking like the Redskins are ready to start all over with Sanchez, who dazzled scouts and innocent bystanders at his recent pro day. I think Snyder-Cerrato are suffering from a condition we're calling "RyanFlacconitis," which has caused front office types around the league to mistakenly think that pretty much any rookie quarterback with a solid background (Matt Ryan and ...

Would Freeman and Bucs be a good fit?
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Then again, if there's ever a time to draft a quarterback, it's when you've got a new coach. It worked with Matt Ryan in Atlanta and ...

The madness of the NFL's rookie pay scale
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... agency. Here is the list I compiled, which includes Haynesworth and six quarterbacks: Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford: $41.7 million Washington defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth: $41 million Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick: $37 million Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger: $36 million Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan: $34.8 million Indianapolis quarterback Peyton ...

Lions apparently have no doubts about Stafford
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... . Stafford's $41.7 million in guarantees was 17 percent more than Atlanta gave quarterback Matt Ryan last year as the No. 3 overall pick. ...

It really is a new day in Tampa Bay
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... went and got him,'' Morris said. Freeman truly is Morris' guy. They met when Freeman was a freshman at Kansas State and Morris was the defensive coordinator there. Morris left after that season, but kept an eye on Freeman. Morris has heard the criticism that Freeman isn't very polished and the coach did make the obligatory comments about how the rookie will be competing with veterans Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich. But let's face reality. After what Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco did as rookies last season, the NFL model for ...

NFC South draft analysis
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... The result almost always is either great or terrible. I'm not doing the math here, but it seems like for every Matt Ryan, there are two or three Joey Harringtons or David Carrs. Tampa Bay's own history with first-round quarterbacks isn't spectacular. Doug Williams worked out for a short stay, but Vinny Testaverde and Dilfer never really prospered in Tampa. ...

Too early to judge Bucaneers' Freeman
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... So that's really all that Friday showed us. Freeman looks the part, as long as some rookie guard isn't stumbling over him. Ryan Leaf looked the part on his first day of minicamp. So did Matt Ryan. ...

Debating the merits of QBs vs. WRs
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Jake Delhomme (84.7, No. 18) Roddy White Atlanta 1,382 Matt Ryan (87.7, No. 11) Calvin Johnson ...

Why there won't be a 'sophomore slump' for Ryan
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Prepare yourself for the least-glowing review you'll ever hear about perhaps the best rookie season ever by an NFL quarterback. "It was a good start, that's all," Matt Ryan said Friday afternoon as he sat on a porch overlooking the Atlanta Falcons' practice fields. While the rest of the world uses the word "great" or something more elaborate to describe last year, Ryan almost shreds it. He came to a team that was supposed to be the worst in the ...

Q&A with Joe Flacco
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... now. But right now I'd probably be embarrassed to do that kind of thing. When you watch other NFL quarterbacks, what do you look for that makes them successful? Flacco: It's being able to stand in the pocket and make good decisions. It's pretty much pocket movement and avoiding the pressure, while on the same end being able to make good decisions and not throwing interceptions to put your team in bad positions. You and Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons will forever be linked as the two first-round quarterbacks ...

Falcons finding right blend on defense
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Think about all the wonderful things that went right for the Falcons in a stunning 11-5 season. The defense wasn't really one of them. This fact kind of got lost in the hysteria of quarterback Matt Ryan having a great rookie season and ...

Ryan has made Falcons forget about Vick
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... 's potential return to the National Football League and it took Matt Ryan about 15 seconds to provide all the answer that was necessary. ...

Blank comments on Vick's release
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... . They've moved on nicely with Matt Ryan. They would gladly trade Vick's rights, if another team is willing to give up anything. If not, they'll release Vick the moment he's reinstated to the NFL. As far as reinstatement, Blank has made it clear he'll support Vick's return to the league if he sincerely believes the quarterback has paid his debt to society and learned from his mistakes. ...

Ranking the NFC South quarterbacks
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... the slowest time of the NFL year, I've decided to start doing some positional rankings for the NFC South. I'm going to rank the top players at each position and you're welcome to agree or disagree -- that's what the comments section and the mailbag are for. We might as well start at the top and go with quarterbacks. 1. Drew Brees, New Orleans. There's no other choice. The guy threw for more than 5,000 yards last year. 2. Matt Ryan, Atlanta. He could turn out to be better than Brees ...

Ultimate Building Blocks: NFC South
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... 4. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta. I'm taking two quarterbacks because I can. If the window had been five years, I probably would have started this list with Ryan. ...

Ron Mexico Gets Release From Falcons
YouGabSports — ... Even while making it clear Vick had no football future with the Falcons, Blank has said he would be available to assist Vick. As an organization Atlanta has turned the page since drafting quarterback Matt Ryan, who went on to become the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season. ...

Bucs may speed up plan for Freeman
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... This situation's going to sort itself out. At this time a year ago, the Falcons had no idea whether Matt Ryan would open the season as their starter. They saw some promise in offseason workouts, but they really didn't know what they had until training camp. They simply let Ryan compete in camp and he stepped up and won the job. ...

Very special Father's Day for Falcons' Nicholas
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... While rookie quarterback Matt Ryan was lighting up the NFL and the Falcons were making a run to the playoffs as the NFL's most surprising team, there was a little family secret that wasn't public because it was a very private matter. ...

The Collins question: Can he do it again?
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Eagles -- Donovan McNabb: 2000-04 (5 straight) Redskins -- Jason Campbell: No NFC North Bears -- Jay Cutler: No Lions -- Daunte Culpepper: No Packers -- Aaron Rodgers: No Vikings -- Tarvaris Jackson/Sage Rosenfels: No NFC South Falcons -- Matt Ryan: No Panthers -- Jake Delhomme: No ...

McNair-style apprenticeships likely history
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... 2007 JaMarcus Russell 16 2008 Matt Ryan 16+ 1999 ...

An easy way to rank NFL quarterbacks
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... to me. 10. Tony Romo. Career seems to be in holding pattern pending playoff success. 11. Jay Cutler. Has the talent to rank among the top five. Just has to do it. 12. Jake Delhomme. Hard to shake recent playoff debacle from my memory. 13. Aaron Rodgers. Answered quite a few questions last season and will move up this list as he gets more seasoning. 14. Matt Ryan. Appears ready to charge up this list. ...

Cassel doesn't approach Stafford $$ territory
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... guarantees remains the same. Here it is, for those who want a refresher: Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford: $41.7 million Washington defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth: $41 million Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick: $37 million Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger: $36 million Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan: $34.8 million Indianapolis quarterback ...

Interconference matchups: NFC South/AFC East
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... 5. Falcons QB Matt Ryan vs. Bill Belichick and Rex Ryan: Matt Ryan is a great quarterback in the making and is wise beyond his years in terms of reading defenses, his pocket presence, overall poise and abilities as an anticipatory thrower. But, dealing with these two defensive masterminds is a different story, and the second-year phenom has to be at his very best in these two difficult road matchups. These games will be an excellent barometer of where Ryan stands from a mental perspective. ...

Cardinals, Steelers rack up ESPY awards
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and the Cardinals edged the Steelers in ESPY award balloting among NFL types. The breakdown: Best game: Steelers vs. Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII Best play: Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes, Super Bowl-winning touchdown Best breakthrough athlete: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons Best NFL players: Fitzgerald Land Rover ...

NFC South training camp preview
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Camp will be a success if ... quarterback Matt Ryan masters the offense he looked so good in as a rookie. That's a strong possibility. Although he already was very good, Ryan looked noticeably better in minicamp practices in the spring. ...

Vick might not have a landing spot
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... see owner Pat Bowlen signing off on Vick to be the next John Elway after Jay Cutler and Brian Griese couldn't come close to living up to the mile-high expectations, even though fans were rooting for them. They wouldn't be so inclined to root for Vick. The Lions? Don't they and the city of Detroit have enough problems? They're paying Matthew Stafford a ton of money. Let the kid take his lumps. Maybe he's the next Joey Harrington or maybe he's the next Matt Ryan. It's awfully tough to see Jacksonville entering the mix after ...

Camp Confidential: Falcons ready for next step
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Tony Gonzalez was sitting on some bleachers after practice on a recent morning and talking about his new quarterback, Matt Ryan. "I don't know why people always talk about 'it','' Gonzalez said. "I think you can break it down and actually put your finger on it. First of all, he's got great talent and he's willing to work hard. Harder than anybody else. On our first day off of camp last week, he was in here working out at 3:30 on a Sunday. He's always watching ...

A look at rookie QBs in Week 1
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... QB Team Result 2008 Matt Ryan Falcons W, 34-21 ...

Purple Haze
Xtra Point Football — ... Every season, unannounced rookies come in and dominate the fantasy football world. Last year we were witness to Steve Slaton, Matt Forte, and Matt Ryan. These guys were not as hyped as Jonathan Stewart or Rashard Mendenhall and that made them fantasy gold! They each outperformed their ADPs by 10+ rounds and carried many a team to fantasy titles. ...

Report: Falcons release Shockley
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... will make the roster as the third quarterback. But that's not automatic. There's still the possibility the Falcons could go with only Matt Ryan and ...

Falcons: Cutdown analysis
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... some potential as a return man. No-brainer: Quarterback D.J. Shockley might have been a local hero, but that didn’t help him when it came to make a decision on his future. Shockley got hopes up with a good performance in the offseason program, but his progress stalled there. Shockley was hugely disappointing when he got playing time in the preseason. That’s why the Falcons elected to go with undrafted rookie John Parker Wilson behind Matt Ryan and Chris Redman. What’s next: ...

Let's be realistic on Stafford expectations
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... To me, the near-constant references to Atlanta’s Matt Ryan and Baltimore’s Joe Flacco need to end. Both took their teams to the playoffs as rookies last season, but I don’t think anyone would doubt they had the benefit of landing on a better team than the Lions. For every Ryan, there is a David Carr, JaMarcus Russell and Alex Smith. For every Flacco, there is a Peyton Manning. Yes, even Manning struggled as a rookie, throwing 28 interceptions as Indianapolis finished 3-13 in 1998. This is not to ...

Jaworski: Buffalo's no-huddle 'a big mistake'
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... "I think Sanchez will play well. If there is a quarterback that has a chance to come out of the season maybe like a Matt Ryan, maybe like a ...

NFC South: Rating the stadiums
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... The Georgia Dome has hosted every event imaginable, but the Falcons are the main tenant. The team has endured some lean years, but the dome came to life last year when quarterback Matt Ryan arrived and the Falcons started winning. That may help the Falcons get a new stadium, but the last few years in the dome have the potential to be memorable. ...

Manning could feast on Dolphins rookie CBs
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... for some things you may get, but adjust to certain things once the game actually arrives." Smith and Davis each saw over 30 plays opposite left cornerback Will Allen in Sunday's 19-7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome. Smith played the first two series, making him the first Dolphins rookie cornerback in 29 years to start on opening day. Sparano noted "a couple technical errors" out of Smith and Davis on Sunday. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan went deep to Roddy White on the opening drive. White beat Smith ...

NFC South: Final Word
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... in your fantasy league. Yeah, the Atlanta running back was bottled up a bit by Miami last week. But the Falcons aren’t going to stop handing him the ball, especially when they’re going up against a Carolina defensive line that doesn’t have a true run stuffer. Atlanta is going to be the kind of offense where you pick your poison. With Matt Ryan throwing to ...

Taylor in position to help Dolphins again
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... , he dropped Matt Ryan, the 64th quarterback on Taylor's career victims list. The sack also tied him with Clyde Simmons for 13th all-time. ...

Halftime observations from Atlanta
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... That two-minute drill by the Falcons at the end of the first half was made into a one-minute drill by Matt Ryan. The guy was flawless on that series. By the way, first time in his career that Ryan has three touchdown passes in the first half of a game. ...

Rapid Reaction: Falcons 28, Panthers 20
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... The Falcons are going to New England to play the Patriots. Think about that one. It goes way beyond Matt Ryan going back to Boston. ...

Defense, not Delhomme, is Carolina's problem
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... As a matter of fact, I'm sitting in the Georgia Dome press box right now and there's something red out there. Did Peppers, who's collecting more than $1 million for each game, leave his heart on the field again? No, wait, it's just the red in the Falcons' logo. Peppers turned in a two-tackle, no-sack game and I think I saw him almost get near Matt Ryan once. ...

Edwards makes Bills offense manageable
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... after the Buffalo Bills fired their offensive coordinator and cut their alleged left tackle, and without Pro Bowl running back Marshawn Lynch, how about the job Trent Edwards has done through the first two weeks of the season? With another efficient performance to help the Bills beat the Buccaneers 33-20 in Ralph Wilson Stadium, Edwards ranks fourth in the NFL with a 104.9 passer rating. Ahead of him are Drew Brees, Brett Favre and Matt Ryan. With on-the-fly offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt ...

Monday Morning Quarterback
Xtra Point Football — ... looked much improved from the last couple of nightmarish games going 25-41 for 308 yards but Matt Ryan remained red hot and Ryan to future hall of famer ...

Mike Sando's MVP Watch
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Brett Favre, Frank Gore and Kurt Warner are making their 2009 debuts on the weekly MVP Watch. Their teams are a combined 9-1 this season, and all five played key roles in Week 2 victories. Drew Brees kept his spot atop the list after helping the Saints exceed 40 points for the second time in as many games. His nine touchdown passes, 75 percent completion rate and 2-0 record made him an easy choice for the top spot. The Titans' ...

Ryan has been better than Brady under pressure
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas It’s way too early to start comparing Matt Ryan to Tom Brady. But, since the Falcons are playing the Patriots on Sunday, let’s do it anyway. Brady is widely considered to be one of the league’s most savvy quarterbacks and the general consensus is pressure doesn’t bother him. But the Jets showed last week that is not necessarily the case as they had success when pressuring Brady. Thanks to ESPN Stats & Information, here’s a look at what Brady did ...

Dimitroff building Falcons with New England model
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas Over the next 48 hours or so, you’re going to hear a lot about Matt Ryan’s homecoming. It’s a great story: Kid from Boston College comes back to New England to face the Patriots as quarterback of the undefeated Atlanta Falcons. Even the fact the Patriots play a long way from the Boston College campus and Ryan never has met Tom Brady doesn’t diminish this storyline a bit. But there’s another homecoming this weekend that’s not ...

NFC South: Final Word
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... are playing their biggest game in five years Sunday at New England. I call it the biggest game the Falcons have played since they went to the NFC Championship Game in 2004, not because it’s a homecoming for Matt Ryan and Thomas Dimitroff. I say it because it’s a chance for the Falcons to show the world they’re an elite team. There’s no better way to do that than going into New England and winning. ...

Early AFC East games comeptitive at half
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... isn't having as good of a game as Matt Ryan, who's playing in the area for the first time since leaving Boston College. ...

Early AFC East games competitive at half
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... isn't having as good of a game as Matt Ryan, who's playing in the area for the first time since leaving Boston College. ...

Mike Sando's MVP Watch
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... 7. MATT RYAN, Atlanta Falcons (Last Week: 4) 2009 PASSING ...

Just another week for Marinelli
Nick Friedell's Blog - ESPN Chicago — ... you could see how frustrated he was on the field. Football just didn't seem like it was his sport." After further review by some media members at the Bears practice facility, it appears that Ogunleye may have gotten his facts mixed up. He was still in school, playing for Indiana University, during Leaf's rookie season and was inactive when the Dolphins played Leaf and the Cowboys in 2001. As for which rookie QB impressed him the most, there are no questions surrounding that choice: Matt Ryan. "Just that throw he had at the end [of our game last season]," Ogunleye said. "You ...

Russell is regressing terribly
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... KC Joyner, the Football Scientist, went out on a limb in the preseason and stumped for Russell. Joyner liked the way Russell finished last season. In the final six games of the 2008 season, Joyner found that Russell had a better passer rating than Matt Ryan and Flacco. ...

Brady on the run means Patriots are back
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... played better than Brady that day, but the two-time Super Bowl MVP has rebounded with a pair of superb performances against two more young guns -- Matt Ryan and ...

Have at It: Rodgers and sacks
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Aaron Rodgers Green Bay 101.1 20 2-2 Matt Ryan Atlanta 100.4 2 ...

Have at It: Rodgers' share of the blame
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Aaron Rodgers Green Bay 101.1 20 2-2 Matt Ryan Atlanta 100.4 ...

Talk with coach gets White back to old form
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... White scored on a 31-yard pass from Matt Ryan in the first quarter and broke off a 90-yard touchdown in the second. His output for the day was nearly double what White had in the first three games of the season -- 15 catches for 119 yards and one touchdown. ...

Power rankings revisited: Week 5
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Northbound in a hurry: Denver, Atlanta, Seattle. We'll be adding Matt Ryan to the MVP Watch list this week. The 49ers' defense had no chance against him. ...

Mike Sando's MVP Watch
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... 8. MATT RYAN QB | Atlanta Falcons 2009 PASSING ...

Big test for Bears defense
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert In case you hadn’t heard, Chicago is playing in the NFL’s marquee matchup Sunday night. The Bears’ matchup with Atlanta will feature a pair of one-loss teams who played one of the most dramatic regular-season games of 2008. The Falcons have lost only one home game during the Mike Smith/Matt Ryan era, going 9-1 over that span. As Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com points out, that one loss came to Jay Cutler and the Denver Broncos last ...

Final Word: NFC North
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Atlanta has won nine of 10 home games since the Mike Smith/Matt Ryan era started in 2008. The lone loss? Then-Denver quarterback ...

Final Word: NFC South
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... By the way, the Falcons play this week, too. In any other week, the game between the Falcons and Bears would get top billing. But with the undefeated Saints and Giants playing, this game, understandably, has taken a backseat. But let’s not sell this one short. It’s a matchup of two 3-1 teams and there’s history involved. Last year, Matt Ryan pulled off a miracle to beat the Bears and both teams remember that very well. By the time this game starts, the Giants and Saints will be done. No matter how that turns out, the Falcons are ...

Power rankings revisited: Week 6
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Five games featured lower-ranked teams defeating higher-ranked teams: (29) Oakland 13, (7) Philadelphia 9. Tom Flores and John Madden were in the house. Neither reminded Andy Reid to run the ball. (22) Houston 28, (6) Cincinnati 17. Matt Schaub goes for 392 yards and four scores. (25) Buffalo 16, (9) New York Jets 13. Hold those stories about Mark Sanchez matching what Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco accomplished as rookies. (30) ...

TRICK or TREAT?
Xtra Point Football — ... hurt. Bears (3-2) - Trick! Lots of fanfare getting Jay Cutler, but Kyle Orton the QB they let go is 6-0! Lions (1-5) - Not home, we have to come back. They do have one win already though... NFC South Saints (5-0) - Treat! Their candy clearly has the most caffeine in it. What an offense. Like the early 80's Chargers! Falcons (4-1) - Treat! No sophomore jinx for Matty Ice. He's a bringht kid. A playoff team here, no doubt. Panthers (2-3) - ...

Falcons have a dream team -- of coaches
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Smith was envisioning who he would hire as his assistants. He drew up a wish list that turned into a dream team. With the possible exception of drafting quarterback Matt Ryan, that might have been the single-best move Smith has made. ...

Final Word: NFC East
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... can't throw Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan out of rhythm early, it could be a long day. Watch the Falcons try to get wide receiver ...

Rapid Reaction: Cowboys 37, Falcons 21
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... They got beat -- and I mean beat -- in every facet of the game by Dallas, a team that I don’t think is good at all. Matt Ryan made bad decisions, ...

Observations from Cowboys-Falcons
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... and he helped collapse the pocket against Matt Ryan. He said it was his goal for the defense's production not to fall off while he was on the field -- and I'd say he accomplished that. ...

Final Word: NFC South
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... 's not putting up big numbers this year and that’s taking a toll on the entire offense. Atlanta’s strengths are quarterback Matt Ryan, tight end ...

Final Word: NFC North
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Two weeks ago, we suggested Chicago’s offseason attempts to improve its passing defense would be tested at Atlanta. Case closed: The Bears were unable to sack Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan and have now gone consecutive games without a sack after accumulating 14 in their first four games. Suffice it to say, they better get some traction Sunday. Cleveland quarterbacks have been sacked 18 times this season, tied for the eighth-most in the NFL. If defensive end ...

Atlanta's class of 2008 looking better all the time
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... One common theme on that play: DeCoud and Biermann both were members of general manager Thomas Dimitroff’s first draft in 2008. That class already has gotten lots of attention because of Matt Ryan, ...

Praise for Saints' Greer
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... . He intercepted Matt Ryan shortly before the end of the first half and returned it for a touchdown. That gives the Saints five interception returns so far this season and that already ties the team record for most in a season. ...

These truly aren't the Saints of old
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Let’s start with 8:30 left in the fourth quarter and the Saints leading 28-24. The Falcons were driving with a chance to take a lead in a game the Saints should have wrapped up right after halftime. This was when Matt Ryan threw for ...

How I See It: NFC South Stock Watch
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Matt Ryan, quarterback, Atlanta. Yes, he threw for 289 yards against the Saints and made some nice plays. But Ryan completed less than 50 percent (19 of 42) of his passes. This is the second straight game where I’ve seen him make more than one or two bad decisions and I couldn’t say that often last year. ...

Bucs' Freeman needs to be savior first
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... From coach Raheem Morris to general manager Mark Dominik to just about every other player on the roster, their futures all depend on what Freeman does in the next nine games. He doesn’t have to instantly be Matt Ryan or ...

So what happened on the Falcons' sideline?
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... The NFL is reviewing the altercation and I'm sure we'll be hearing about some fines this week. It all started when Landry was flagged for hitting quarterback Matt Ryan out of bounds. In a matter of moments, Hall arrived on the sideline and was surrounded by Falcons. After the game, he told reporters that he intended to contact NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to tell his side of the story. ...

Midseason Report: Redskins
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... their due. Not huge surprises, but they've been solid at linebacker. The interception McIntosh made against Matt Ryan in Week 9 was pretty impressive. I think ...

Midseason Report: Falcons
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... and the running game have been at their best the last couple of weeks and that’s a big stride if the Falcons can continue on that path. Quarterback Matt Ryan has had a tough time when the running game hasn’t been there, and the defense remains very much a work in progress. ...

Has the (Matty) Ice Age ended?
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... Did you see Matt Ryan at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, looking nervous every time a pass-rusher got near him? Did you see how the ball sailed on Ryan’s two interceptions? Did you see how his passer rating (57.4) compared to ...

How I See It: NFC South Stock Watch
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... 1. Matt Ryan, Falcons quarterback: After an almost flawless rookie season, Ryan has been only ordinary. At times, he’s been worse than ordinary. ...

Where have all blue-chip left tackles gone?
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... , whom the Falcons drafted out of Southern California last year. They used their second of two first-round picks to get Baker to protect the blindside of top pick Matt Ryan. ...

Final Word: NFC East
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — ... out this week. Quarterback Matt Ryan will have to get the job done, and he's been very shaky in protecting the footbally lately. He managed games so well last season that it's hard to believe that he could throw so many interceptions. The Giants need to get in his face early and not allow him to find a rhythm. ...