FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. _ Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is a strong candidate for the league's MVP award.
"It's obviously nice to be mentioned in the mix because it's something that's a special award, a really nice recognition, but at the end of the day it's about winning games," Ryan said Tuesday during his weekly radio spot on 680 The Fan. "That's where my mindset has been all year. It's about trying to do the best that I can week-in and week-out. I feel like I've been doing a good job of that this year."
Ryan's main competition for the award are New England's Tom Brady, Oakland's Derek Carr and Dallas rookie quarterback Dak Prescott.
"This time of year is when MVP conversations begin," Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. "I think it is also important to recognize when those conversations begin, there are a bunch of people involved that are playing really well. I think Matt would be the first to tell you how many guys on our team are playing really well. He's kind of the conduit of that.
"Any MVP talk and I know it's an individual award, generally there are a lot of people that are playing really well for that to happen."
Ryan has completed 346 of 498 passes for 4,613 yards, 34 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has a passer rating of 115.5 leads the league.
Among quarterbacks who average 9-plus yards per passing attempt, Ryan's 69.5 seasonal completion percentage is third all-time behind Slingin' Sammy Baugh (1945) and Joe Montana (1989).
Ryan has thrown touchdown passes to 13 players this season, the most in a single season in NFL history. Backup tight ends Joshua Perkins and D.J. Tialavea both caught career-first touchdown passes against the Panthers.
A nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who regularly cover the NFL will vote on the award. The ballots were sent out Dec. 16 and are due back Jan. 4 and will not be accepted before Jan. 2.
The list of the voters is released when the awards are announced Feb. 4 at NFL Honors program the night before Super Bowl LI.
