http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-falcons/falcons-know-they-can-739048.html
Atlanta Falcons3:57 p.m. Friday, November 12, 2010
Falcons know they can lean on Ryan's passing arm
By
D. Orlando Ledbetter
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
FLOWERY BRANCH – There wasn't a post-game ceremony, but the
Falcons victory over the Ravens signified a passing of the torch.
Now, the
Falcons know they can win a game via the pass by riding the arm of third-year quarterback Matt Ryan.
"Good football teams find different ways to do it each week," Ryan said. "(Against Baltimore) it was through the air."
The
Falcons have leaned heavily on their power running game and Mike Turner since Ryan was drafted. But Turner only had 17 carries for a season-low 39 yards.
"At the core of what we want to do is run the football, but we are not going to bang our head against the wall,"
Falcons coach Mike Smith said. "We are going to strategically try to win the game with the run or the pass based on what the defenses are trying to give us."
The Ravens were obviously keyed up to stop Turner.
Ryan met with offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey late into the night on Wednesday. What came of the confab was the master plan to take down the mighty Baltimore Ravens.
"During the week, we talked a little bit about our no huddle package like we do every week," Ryan said.
But in the meeting it became clear that the no-huddle offense would be a good way to attack the Ravens and keep them out of some of their exotic blitz packages and bizarre defensive fronts.
The
Falcons ran the no-huddle for the entire first half. In the no-huddle, Ryan has 32 plays at his disposable that he can call based on what alignment he gets from the Ravens. Except for one play where Ryan threw deep and wide receiver Michael Jenkins ran a short route, the
Falcons were on the same page.
The
Falcons have sprinkled in the no-huddle attack since the fourth game of Ryan's career, a game at Carolina on Sept. 28, 2008
"We have been in that no huddle offense for three years," Ryan said. "We'd been doing a lot of the same things for three years. We felt confident and we know that system really well."
Ryan, who attempted a career 50 passes, said that was most the offense has used the no-huddle.
"The plan wasn't to come out and throw it necessarily every snap, but that was based on the looks we were getting," Ryan said.
With the 26-21 victory over the Ravens, Ryan improved his home record to
18-1 (.947), which is the most home wins for any quarterback in the league over the last three seasons and Ryan has now won 14 straight starts at home.
Before the Baltimore win, Ryan's 17-1 home record was tied for the NFL’s best home record through 18 starts. He was tied with former Dallas quarterback Danny White (1980-82) and former Oakland quarterback Daryle Lamonica (1963-69).
Behind the no-huddle, the
Falcons held a 10-0 lead at halftime.
Ryan save his best no-huddle drive for the final 65 seconds after the
Falcons fell behind 21-20. He drove the
Falcons 80-yards in seven plays and hit
Roddy White for a 33-yard touchdown with 20 seconds left in the game.
"Nobody blinked," Ryan said. "We went out there an executed. We only needed three, but we were able to get six, which helped."
