ATLANTA – Thanks to kicker Matt Bryant, quarterback Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons can breathe a little easier now.
Ryan, who had never won a playoff game in three attempts, would earn his first post-season victory in a 30-28 win over the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Round. Unlike his first three post-season contests in which he would be sacked a total of ten times, Ryan would not be touched once.
Despite throwing two interceptions, Ryan would throw for a post-season career-best high 250 yards, three touchdowns and post a post-season best passer rating of 93.8
Before the game, Ryan had averaged 194.6 yards passing, a passer rating of 70.9 and thrown three touchdowns and four interceptions.
For all of his post-season failings, Ryan would display a more balanced game plan in utilizing Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez downfield and trust in the running game more Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers.
Going into the game against the Seahawks, Ryan had to answer a never-ending avalanche of questions from both the national and local media about if he’d ever be able to lead the Falcons to the Super Bowl, let alone a win in the post-season.
And in a town where former quarterback Michael Vick is still revered, playing in the shadow of Vick, while having a o-3 record in the playoffs, put Ryan in a bad position.
In exorcising the proverbial “can’t win in the playoffs” monkey off of his back, Ryan and the Falcons can now move forward, without having to answer another question about winning a playoff game.
With the Falcons one win away from Super Bowl XLVIII, the only question that the man known as “Matty Ice” needs to answer now is can he lead the Atlanta franchise to it’s second-ever Super Bowl.
Robert D. Cobb is the Founder/CEO/Senior Editor-In-Chief Of The Inscriber : Digital Magazine, for questions, comments and concerns email me at [email protected] and follow the Inscriber : Digital Magazine on Twitter at @TheInscriber
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