Matt Ryan is the most underrated quarterback in the NFL. At the least, no other MVP is nearly so overlooked. Watch Kyle Brandt at Good Morning Football discuss the prejudice against Ryan. He also believes the Falcons will win the NFC South this year.
2018 was an excellent example of the way Ryan’s career has gone.
Even though he played at an elite level and posted some brilliant individual numbers, he was never in the MVP conversation because Atlanta was simply not a contender at any point last season. Injuries and regression on defense were the reasons why though – Ryan did everything he possibly could have.
There have been exceptions (most notably in 2012 and 2017), but Ryan generally has not had the benefit of playing with a strong defense since he was drafted. The year the Falcons went to the Super Bowl, they ranked No. 27 in scoring defense. Ryan, Kyle Shanahan and the rest of the offense carried that team to the title game and should have won a ring.
If not for the team’s collapse against New England in the championship game (when Ryan had arguably his best game ever), a lot of these tired narratives about Ryan’s ability to win would have been destroyed for good.
Whether he gets another chance or not, Ryan belongs in the conversation for the best QBs of this era.
