Ryan arguably best rookie quarterback in NFL annals

[DrReality]

Strong words. Hope Ryan doesn't read it.

Ryan arguably best rookie quarterback in NFL annals

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday, November 24, 2008

It was a moment in a game that was slipping away, and if this game slips away then maybe this improbably sunny season does, too. Third-and-10 at the Atlanta 45-yard line, Carolina having closed within 17-13, and here the Falcons looked at their rookie quarterback and said, “Make a play.”

The play as designed fizzled on the launch site. The pocket collapsed, and the rookie was forced to scramble to his left, away from his first read, and now he had a choice: He could keep running and come up short of the vital first down, or …

Running left, he threw to his right. Michael Jenkins caught the ball and skittered for 19 precious yards, and five snaps later the Falcons had an 11-point lead. And right about here the realization struck:

In Matt Ryan, we are watching the greatest rookie quarterback ever.

Tom Brady threw three passes his rookie season; Brett Favre threw four. Bart Starr and Joe Montana each started one game as rookies. Troy Aikman had to be benched midway through, having gone 0-11 as a starter. Peyton Manning threw 28 interceptions his first season. John Elway completed 47.5 percent of his rookie passes, Terry Bradshaw 38.1 percent.

Joe Namath was 3-5-1 as a lavishly salaried —- he was making $400,000 —- rookie. Fran Tarkenton was 2-8 as a first-year starter; Johnny Unitas was 4-3, Bob Griese 3-7. Ben Roethlisberger was 13-0 as a rookie quarterback on a loaded Pittsburgh team but didn’t start until Week 3. Sammy Baugh made All-Pro as a rookie but threw six more interceptions than touchdown passes. Bob Waterfield was league MVP as a rookie but started only four games. (Doubtless he got bonus points for being married to Jane Russell.)

Dan Marino is considered the gold standard of rookie quarterbacks, but his first start only came in Week 6, and he joined a team that had reached the Super Bowl the previous season. And now we consider Matt Ryan, who has started from Day 1 for a dilapidated team the Sporting News pegged to finish 1-15, who stands now as the chief reason the refurbished Falcons are 7-4.

He completed 17-of-27 passes for 259 yards in a 45-28 win over Carolina on Sunday. He completed nine of his first 11 passes in staking the Falcons to a 17-0 lead. Said Roddy White, who ran under a 30-yard rainbow off a Ryan pump-and-go on the second snap Sunday: “Sometimes you luck up and get the guy. We got the guy.”

Eleven games in, the Falcons have stopped waiting for Ryan to have a Rookie Moment. “He hasn’t given me a reason to [expect one],” said Mike Mularkey, the offensive coordinator. And then, asked if Ryan has already absorbed the entire playbook and thereby given the Falcons license to call anything at any time, Mularkey said, “Yes.”

We saw it again Sunday, same as we’ve seen it since August. We saw it in the fourth quarter, the Panthers having drawn within a field goal again, the Falcons facing third-and-11 at their 25 with eight minutes left. We saw Ryan drop back and step forward into a big rush and loft the ball down the right side for Douglas, and the 69-yard gain positioned the Falcons to bang home the clincher.

“I threw it on time, actually a little early,” Ryan said. “He had man coverage, and I was hoping he’d roll his hips back toward me. But he was able to put his foot in the ground and stop [and make the catch]. It was a great play by Harry Douglas, not me.”

That’s typical Ryan. Everybody else makes the plays. He just carries out his assignments. But we on the periphery, having watched all along, know better. We know this rookie quarterback has made a difference in a way no other rookie quarterback —- not Marino, not Roethlisberger, not anybody —- ever has.

[Traceman]

Strong words. Hope Ryan doesn't read it.

Ryan arguably best rookie quarterback in NFL annals

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday, November 24, 2008

It was a moment in a game that was slipping away, and if this game slips away then maybe this improbably sunny season does, too. Third-and-10 at the Atlanta 45-yard line, Carolina having closed within 17-13, and here the Falcons looked at their rookie quarterback and said, “Make a play.”

The play as designed fizzled on the launch site. The pocket collapsed, and the rookie was forced to scramble to his left, away from his first read, and now he had a choice: He could keep running and come up short of the vital first down, or …

Running left, he threw to his right. Michael Jenkins caught the ball and skittered for 19 precious yards, and five snaps later the Falcons had an 11-point lead. And right about here the realization struck:

In Matt Ryan, we are watching the greatest rookie quarterback ever.

Tom Brady threw three passes his rookie season; Brett Favre threw four. Bart Starr and Joe Montana each started one game as rookies. Troy Aikman had to be benched midway through, having gone 0-11 as a starter. Peyton Manning threw 28 interceptions his first season. John Elway completed 47.5 percent of his rookie passes, Terry Bradshaw 38.1 percent.

Joe Namath was 3-5-1 as a lavishly salaried —- he was making $400,000 —- rookie. Fran Tarkenton was 2-8 as a first-year starter; Johnny Unitas was 4-3, Bob Griese 3-7. Ben Roethlisberger was 13-0 as a rookie quarterback on a loaded Pittsburgh team but didn’t start until Week 3. Sammy Baugh made All-Pro as a rookie but threw six more interceptions than touchdown passes. Bob Waterfield was league MVP as a rookie but started only four games. (Doubtless he got bonus points for being married to Jane Russell.)

Dan Marino is considered the gold standard of rookie quarterbacks, but his first start only came in Week 6, and he joined a team that had reached the Super Bowl the previous season. And now we consider Matt Ryan, who has started from Day 1 for a dilapidated team the Sporting News pegged to finish 1-15, who stands now as the chief reason the refurbished Falcons are 7-4.

He completed 17-of-27 passes for 259 yards in a 45-28 win over Carolina on Sunday. He completed nine of his first 11 passes in staking the Falcons to a 17-0 lead. Said Roddy White, who ran under a 30-yard rainbow off a Ryan pump-and-go on the second snap Sunday: “Sometimes you luck up and get the guy. We got the guy.”

Eleven games in, the Falcons have stopped waiting for Ryan to have a Rookie Moment. “He hasn’t given me a reason to [expect one],” said Mike Mularkey, the offensive coordinator. And then, asked if Ryan has already absorbed the entire playbook and thereby given the Falcons license to call anything at any time, Mularkey said, “Yes.”

We saw it again Sunday, same as we’ve seen it since August. We saw it in the fourth quarter, the Panthers having drawn within a field goal again, the Falcons facing third-and-11 at their 25 with eight minutes left. We saw Ryan drop back and step forward into a big rush and loft the ball down the right side for Douglas, and the 69-yard gain positioned the Falcons to bang home the clincher.

“I threw it on time, actually a little early,” Ryan said. “He had man coverage, and I was hoping he’d roll his hips back toward me. But he was able to put his foot in the ground and stop [and make the catch]. It was a great play by Harry Douglas, not me.”

That’s typical Ryan. Everybody else makes the plays. He just carries out his assignments. But we on the periphery, having watched all along, know better. We know this rookie quarterback has made a difference in a way no other rookie quarterback —- not Marino, not Roethlisberger, not anybody —- ever has.

Strong words indeed. I'll reserve judgement until the season is over but if he plays as good in the last 5 as he did in the first 11, he's got my vote.

[crimedog]

He reminds me a lot of a young Big Ben. Although I think we place more responsiblity on his shoulders than did Cowher on Ben and he seems to have a much higher Football IQ or whatever you want to call it.

[EazyRoc]

I'll say it. He's the best.

[mattlanta]

One could argue that Matt Ryan is the best rookie QB in recent history, but Big Ben would still take the trophy for me. He had a much better and complete team than Matt Ryan did, but he still led his team to the Super Bowl and ultimately won the ball game. I know it's still early, but Matt Ryan's yet to lead his team to the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. Even if Big Ben's team was stacked, playing in the Super Bowl is a lot harder for a rookie than people would think.

[DrReality]

They keep talking about him hitting the rookie wall . . . . . hope not.

[pflag]

One could argue that Matt Ryan is the best rookie QB in recent history, but Big Ben would still take the trophy for me. He had a much better and complete team than Matt Ryan did, but he still led his team to the Super Bowl and ultimately won the ball game. I know it's still early, but Matt Ryan's yet to lead his team to the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. Even if Big Ben's team was stacked, playing in the Super Bowl is a lot harder for a rookie than people would think.

big ben lost in the conference championship at home against pats. i was in college in downtown pittsburgh that year and have seen all of ryan's starts. ryan is better, and its not even that close.

[FrankWhite]

I don't think we have to worry about success going to Ryan's head.

Edited November 26, 2008 by FrankWhite

[EazyRoc]

One could argue that Matt Ryan is the best rookie QB in recent history, but Big Ben would still take the trophy for me. He had a much better and complete team than Matt Ryan did, but he still led his team to the Super Bowl and ultimately won the ball game. I know it's still early, but Matt Ryan's yet to lead his team to the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. Even if Big Ben's team was stacked, playing in the Super Bowl is a lot harder for a rookie than people would think.

Ben didn't do that in his rookie season, though. Ryan has exceeded expectations, and revived the careers of our receivers. Ryan is the best rookie QB that I can think of off the top of my head. Not taking anything away from Ben...

[dlpin]

not to take anything away from Ryan, but a lot of credit has to be given to the new coach as well.

That is something that is often underrated in this era where so much attention is paid to superstar athletes.

Good examples of good coaches making quarterbacks succeed are Ryan, Eli Manning in NY (people think he got so much better last year, but that was because coughlin changed things around significantly), and anyone with Belichick (two late round picks who play like MVPs is not a coincidence. Watch as Cassel comes back to earth and becomes a jeff garcia type once he leaves NE).

Meanwhile, what Andy Reid has been doing with McNabb is criminal. McNabb played like an mvp for 4 or 5 seasons before his health started to deteriorate fast because of Reid's riding of him. Other than TO, never got him a good WR, and the play calling has been atrocious. I mean, what with all the play action when you are passing 70% of the time? Whats with all the passes in short yardage situation?

Ryan must thank his lucky stars every night for being with a good organization and a good coach.