Matt Ryan is one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks, even if he and the Falcons have gotten off to a rocky 1-2 start.
If you look at the past two years, you’d be surprised to see how good Ryan’s numbers were when the team missed the playoffs in 2018, and just how average they were when the Falcons went to the playoffs in 2017.
Ryan in 2017: 20 TD passes, 12 INTs, 4,095 passing yards
Ryan in 2018: 35 TD passes, 7 INTs, 4,924 passing yards
So far in 2019, Ryan’s numbers are not pretty. He has eight touchdown passes but a league-high six interceptions.
An interesting stat tweeted by Pro Football Reference shows that Ryan may be playing better than his numbers would indicate.
With a 10.6 percent bad pass rate, only Dak Prescott and Jacoby Brissett have lower percentages. So why is Ryan throwing so many interceptions this season?
As we learned in 2017, numbers can be misleading. Ryan’s significant statistical regression that season was more on his teammates than the former MVP quarterback himself.
This year, Dirk Koetter has taken over the offensive play-calling and it’s been a work in progress to say the least. Atlanta has struggled to find rhythm in the first half offensively.
Despite ranking tenth in offensive yardage, most of that has come in the fourth quarter with the team frantically playing catch up. Plus, the Falcons rank No. 27 in rushing yards, averaging just 74.3 yards per contest.
This isn’t to say Ryan hasn’t struggled. His first and second quarter performances have left a lot to be desired.
In the big picture, though, Ryan’s decision-making is as good as ever. As the team continues to learn Koetter’s system, the Falcons quarterback should look more like his old self.
