Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan Matches Last Season’s Interception Total
By Kit Anderson
The 1-4 Atlanta Falcons have been a mess in every way since the season started. That includes franchise quarterback Matt Ryan who seemingly cannot stop turning the football over.
Matt Ryan is often one of the lone bright spots for an Atlanta Falcons team that has often been bad over the last decade. This season, however, that narrative has changed with Ryan tossing seven interceptions in the teams first five games.
I don’t need to point out that this is hardly a recipe for success when you have a defense that makes Jacoby Brissett look like Tom Brady. Ryan threw seven picks all of last season and has reached that total already in the first five games.
Blaming Ryan alone for the losses wouldn’t be fair, but to pretend he hasn’t played a big part in the team’s struggles wouldn’t be accurate. When you have a struggling defense the one thing you cannot afford to do is turn the ball over.
Ryan has continued to turn the ball over with alarming regularity. While there the receivers do share some culpability the interceptions have often been a result of Ryan forcing the ball into double or even triple coverage.
He is often missing safety help and throwing the ball in harm’s way. If this continues to happen Atlanta will struggle to win any more games this season. Ryan is simply too good to be playing at this level.
Coming off of one of his best seasons expectations were understandably high and Ryan has done nothing but disappoint. He has been outplayed by almost every quarterback he has faced this season.
While one could argue that this is a product of the defense and not on Ryan there is little truth in that. When their team is down the best quarterbacks in the game find a way to answer or to get it done.
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Over the past two seasons (since the Eagles playoff goalline stand) Ryan has failed to make THE play when his team needs him. It is time for Ryan to step up and play at the level he has in seasons past and his enormous contract demands. Otherwise, it may be time for the Falcons to think about life after Matt Ryan.