Grading Atlanta Falcons’ Through 4 Games
Sep 14, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) passes the ball against Cincinnati Bengals safety Reggie Nelson (20) at Paul Brown Stadium. Cincinnati defeated Atlanta 24-10. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Passing Offense:
The Falcons have always had the personnel to succeed through the air. Be it through Matt Ryan’s up tempo control of the offense, Julio Jones and Roddy White’s explosive ability or the pass catching threat of their running backs, the Falcons strength was always going to be their passing offense. In 2014, things are looking even better than before. The addition of Devin Hester to the WR corps, the phenomenal play of Antone Smith and the further development of Julio Jones into an elite wide out have made the Falcons one of the most dangerous teams in the league through the air. Matt Ryan is as surgical as ever, having thrown for 1263 yards (2nd in the league), 10 touchdowns (2nd), with 20 plays over 20 yards (1st) and a 100.3 passer rating (2nd). Whilst the Falcons 2-2 record isn’t ideal, statistically Matt Ryan is right there as an early MVP candidate, and has shown great improvement in his mobility both in and outside the pocket. What’s frightening is that the Falcons offense has really only clicked in our two wins – even when scoring 28 points against the Vikings, the Falcons looked to have a lot of room for improvement on offense. There is nothing stopping the Falcons passing offense from finishing the season in the top three in the league, and 4 games in they are well on track. Grade: A