Matt Ryan still is part of the solution not the problem in Atlanta

Matt Ryan has been at the helm for the Atlanta Falcons for fourteen years. For many of those years Falcons fans have heaped blame at the quarterback’s feet for anything that goes sideways with the team. Never mind the fact the one time Atlanta had an elite coach Ryan was an MVP and a missed block away from winning the Super Bowl.

Revisionist history is an interesting tool sports fans often become fascinated with. Matt Ryan’s tenure with Atlanta has seen the most successful decade and a half the franchise has had. They have consistently been in the playoff hunt and played in multiple NFC championship games.

Week one was an example of a quarterback who hasn’t lost any ability. But ability doesn’t matter if your team cannot get open and cannot keep you upright after the snap.

Week one is a perfect example of the level of dysfunction that Matt Ryan must overcome

Re-watching Atlanta’s week one disaster was painful but the second time through it becomes obvious Atlanta’s receivers weren’t able to get open. The few times Ryan was given time he was unable to find anyone aside from his check-downs.

Despite the offensive line allowing the thirty-six-year-old to take a beating Ryan took care of the football and didn’t force the ball down the field. A wise decision when you watch the tape and realize just how few chances Ryan had to make a play.

The few times Atlanta did have a player open seemingly every time Ryan had a 300-pound lineman walking Ryan’s guards into the backfield and landing on top of him.

The numbers don’t justify just how bad of a beating Ryan absorbed in week one. It doesn’t matter who the Falcons lined up at quarterback in week one, if everything stayed the same Atlanta could have had Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Tom Brady the result still would have been the same.

Quarterback play isn’t the issue for the Falcons it is their lack of ability to protect Ryan or provide support on either side of the ball.  Matt Ryan finished with only 164-passing yards without help or protection.

The argument for a mobile quarterback might make sense if Ryan were turning the ball over or standing in the pocket refusing to move. However, a mobile quarterback fixes nothing it doesn’t matter if you’re mobile if you have nowhere to run and no one open to throw to even if you make it out of the collapsing pocket.

Matt Ryan remains Atlanta’s answer at the quarterback position. He is a stalwart who has been let down consistently by his owner and coaching staff with no better example than week one.  A game in which Ryan did nothing but absorb a beating looking around for help that never seems to come.