A few seasons ago, the Atlanta Falcons put together an 11-5 record behind quarterback Matt Ryan. As the second seed in the NFC, Atlanta breezed to a conference title, dismantling Green Bay and Seattle on the way. However, Ryan's team came up short in the Super Bowl, and now the Falcons are coming off their second consecutive 7-9 season.
Atlanta's hopes of returning to the playoffs hinge on Ryan and his play in 2020. The addition of several offensive supporting pieces this offseason could help Ryan return to MVP form and restore the team's winning ways.
3. Ryan attempts fewer than 540 passes
In the first four years of his career, Ryan never attempted more than 575 pass attempts in a single season. During that time, he went 43-19 as a starter. Beginning in 2013, Ryan attempted over 600 pass attempts in four consecutive seasons. Atlanta's record during those four seasons was 31-33.
When the Falcons build balanced offenses around Ryan, the team wins significantly more games. Ryan has attempted over 600 passes in each of the last two seasons. When the entire offense relies on the quarterback and the running game can't deliver, Atlanta becomes mediocre. That's just one of the reasons why the Falcons turned in back-to-back 7-9 seasons.
The last two times Ryan limited his pass attempts the Falcons produced winning seasons. In 2017, Ryan threw the ball 529 times. Atlanta went 10-6 and made it to the Divisional Round. However, the team experienced even more success in the previous year.
During the 2016 regular season, Ryan attempted 534 passes. The Falcons went 11-5, made it to the Super Bowl, and Ryan won the league MVP award.
Hopefully, with Todd Gurley reviving Atlanta's running game, Ryan no longer needs to carry the offense. If the former MVP cuts back on his pass attempts and Atlanta's offense becomes balanced, the team can still put together a winning season.
2. Ryan finally throws for 5,000 yards
Usually, cutting back on pass attempts doesn't lead to a greater yardage output. However, Ryan generated 4,944 yards during his MVP season, despite only attempting 534 passes. It seems unlikely Ryan can generate such efficient production again, but he's surrounded by offensive weapons.
Ryan has danced around the 5,000-yard threshold several times. In 2012, the Boston College product came within 300 yards of the historic milestone. Ryan also came within 60 yards of hitting 5,000 in 2016 and within 80 yards in 2018.
At one point, throwing for 5,000 yards seemed impossible. Entering the 2000s, only Dan Marino had ever eclipsed the historic mark. However, within the last twenty years, quarterbacks accomplished the feat 11 times. Drew Brees accounted for five of those instances alone.
The last instance of a 5,000-yard passer occurred last season when Jameis Winston threw for 5,109 yards. If Winston can throw for that many yards with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Ryan can do it with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley.
1. Ryan leads Falcons to the playoffs
Entering the 2020 season, the odds seem stacked against Atlanta. Tom Brady recently gave Tampa Bay's already potent offense a significant boost, and New Orleans remains dominant. Carolina remains irrelevant, but Ryan faces an uphill battle against the likes of all-time greats in Brady and Brees.
There's a chance Atlanta, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay all make the playoffs, especially with the new expanded format. The NFC South did produce three playoff teams in 2017, and that was before the league added an extra playoff slot. Assuming Ryan personally rebounds and Atlanta's offseason additions perform well, the Falcons have hope.
Under the new format, the Falcons could make the playoffs with a 9-7 record. The 9-7 Los Angeles Rams would've made the playoffs last year, but they missed the cut under the old six-seed format. With a seventh slot available, Ryan can restore Atlanta to its playoff glory.
Follow Us
Subscribe