Dec. 16, 2012; Glendale, AZ, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws during the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

It seems like extensions for the leagues top quarterbacks are running like an assembly line. The least likely quarterback receives a mega extension, like Tony Romo from the Cowboys. Now you hear about Lions quarterback Matt Stafford getting more close to an extension and you have to wonder why we are not hearing much about an extension for Matt Ryan.

There are so many reasons I can think of, of why we haven’t heard about Ryan and the Falcons talking about an extension. One reason could be that they actually are talking about it behind closed doors, keeping it very quiet from the media. Another reason could be that Ryan and his circle could be waiting to see what type of extension Stafford receives from the Lions.

If that’s the case, then you cannot blame Ryan for waiting on Stafford. Being that Stafford is one of the leagues youngest quarterbacks and the Lions see him as the team’s cornerstone at quarterback, he is expected to receive a mega deal from the team. Ryan would make a compelling case to the Falcons on why he deserves more money then Romo and Stafford. Ryan is much more of an established quarterback, at this time. He has also led the Falcons to the playoffs four out of his five years with the team.

It’s a given that Ryan will receive an extension from the Falcons. It’s just a matter of when it will happen, that keeps Falcons fans intrigued. It may very well be just up to the Lions and Stafford reaching an extension before the Falcons and Ryan reach an extension.

Dec 22, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White (84) catches a touchdown pass while being pursued by Detroit Lions cornerback Chris Houston (23) during the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Here are the Atlanta Falcons who had the biggest impact in their win over the Detroit Lions:

Quarterback Matt Ryan: Ryan was simply phenomenal. He completed his first 12 passes of the game, and going into halftime was 15-17 for 184 yards a 3 touchdowns. He trailed off in the second half (note the sarcasm), and finished the day 25-32 for 279 yards and 4 touchdown passes. That’s the first time he’s done that this season, and it’s good for a passer rating of 142.58. That’s a solid enough day, but Ryan also tied some records, and made some of his own. Ryan set a career high with both his 30th and 31st TD passes on the day, and 31 tied an Atlanta Falcons single-season franchise record with Steve Bartkowski. Ryan had a marvelous day.

Wide receiver Roddy White: Talk about marvelous days, White sure as heck had one. 8 catches for 153 yards and a pair of touchdowns is outstanding. He showed a little bit of everything, running down the field, catching the screen pass, being a physical receiver, and his athleticism. And all this from a guy who was a game-time decision. I’d say the decision to play him was a good one.

WR Julio Jones: Jones is a wonderful complement to White, and couldn’t be learning from a better mentor. But he has an elite skill set on his own account, and he put them on display on his 16-yard touchdown catch. Really, he earned his wings on that solitary catch. The ability to get past his defender, catch the ball with his hand at the highest point, and still getting both feet just inches inside the endzone is spectacular. A perfectly placed throw, and an even better catch. Julio Jones is special.

CB Asante Samuel: Samuel has been very consistent for the Falcons. Many of the lapses in judgement that end with large gains down the field haven’t been there this season. Samuel has been very good, and that certainly didn’t change. He made a big tackle on Calvin Johnson early in the game that saved a touchdown, and in the second half Samuel jumped in front of a pass intended for Johnson and came down with the interception. Those two plays alone earned his wings. Continued great play from Samuel, taking the pressure off the offense, and allowing this team to just go out and play ball.

Offensive Coordinator Dirk Koetter: Koetter called a magnificent game up in Detroit, especially in the first half. He turned the game over to Matt Ryan, asked him to make several throws with high degrees of difficulty, and was rewarded for his trust in Ryan. The two play-calls that stand out in my mind are the first touchdown to Roddy White, which came out of a two-running back, two tight end formation and took a deep shot down the field to the only wide receiver. The other play that stood out was White’s second TD catch. The fake pitch to Jacquizz Rodgers to the right and the quick screen to White on the left side is huge. The first call is really ballsy, but paid off really well. The second is simply very pretty and creative play calling. Good job by Koetter, he’s certainly earning his keep around Atlanta.

Dec 22, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) passes during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Falcons won 31-18. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The most important factor of the Atlanta Falcons victory over the Detroit Lions is that they are now 13-2, and have clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Falcons will not have to play an outdoor game the rest of the season, and the NFC Playoffs must run through the Georgia Dome.

That’s a big deal. The Falcons have a tremendously loud crowd in the Dome, but it isn’t the hostile playoff environment that, say, Green Bay is, or Chicago is. However, there’s no doubt playing at home favors the home team. These Falcons will be able to stay in their own beds, get home cooking, and be in a familiar place while preparing for playoff matchups.

But enough about clinching home-field. Could the Atlanta Falcons have started any faster up in Detroit? I think the answer is a resounding no. Atlanta lost the coin-toss and had to kick the opening possession of the game, something that has been extremely rare for them in 2012. But the defense answered immediately with a 3-and-out. The Falcons got the ball right back. The offense didn’t operate fantastically on the first possession, but after the defense caused Mikel Leshoure to fumble, Matt Ryan & Co. answered. 4 plays and 69-yards later, Roddy White is waltzing into the end-zone on the strength of a 44-yard touchdown catch. Great play by a great playmaker, and another showing of a very prolific passing combination.

That wouldn’t be the end. The defense was in bend-but-don’t-break mode as they surrendered a 49-yard catch to Calvin Johnson, but that Detroit possession ended in a field goal. The Falcons got the ball, and on the 9th play of the 80-yard drive, Ryan completed a receiver screen to (guess who?) Roddy White. White, with great blocking by his fellow receivers and left tackle Sam Baker, did the rest and rumbled 39-yards into the end-zone. Outstanding play by White, and good play recognition by Ryan to make that play happen.

Still, the Falcons weren’t done in the first half. After exchanging punts, the Falcons once again forced a turnover, this time John Abraham stripping the ball from Calvin Johnson. In short order, Ryan led the Falcons down a short field, and connected with Julio Jones in the back right corner of the endzone for a touchdown. It was a fantastic throw, a fantastic catch, and a showing of a prolific passing combination that Falcons fans can look forward to for years to come.

There’s only one problem with the Falcons performance against Detroit, and it’s something that they’ve had a problem with in most games this season. Once the Falcons had a 21-6 halftime lead, they let Detroit back into the ball game. Now Detroit never got closer than 5 points from the Falcons, but considering Atlanta was leading by 15 points, that’s entirely too close. To begin the second half, the Falcons had two 3-and-out punts, and the only thing inbetween those two series was a Lions touchdown. I understand that the Falcons didn’t want to do anything crazy and start throwing interceptions or something of that nature, but the Falcons have to bear down, continue to be aggressive, and bury opponents, especially when you get the ball to start the 2nd half. It’s just something that has to happen, and I think the Falcons will re-evaluate what they were doing in those situations.

What more needs to be said about this team? They’re resilient. They never quit. This wasn’t a game where things were particularly dire, and it wasn’t a must-win game for the Falcons, but nevertheless they took care of business and didn’t put off to next week things they could do right now. They went on the road, started fast, didn’t play down to competition, and came away with a victory that was much more than a single solitary win. And that, folks, is a beautiful thing.