Matt Ryan’s Rookie Heroics Against The Bears Were Legendary

Not every all-time great performance will have gaudy numbers. There are games where the overall opponent, in-game situations, and circumstances must be heavily taken into account. It’s not merely assessing the box score and determining that a performance is not good enough because only one touchdown was scored, after only one of four red zone opportunities was converted.

Strictly focusing on statistics would dismiss a memorable, courageous performance from an Atlanta all-time great. Matt Ryan couldn’t have made a better first impression in the NFL with his first completion going for a 62-yard touchdown to Michael Jenkins against the Lions.

After some early ups and downs, he earned his first notable win against the Packers in Lambeau Field. The Falcons surprised everyone by having a 3-2 record. Most analysts projected three wins at most for them in 2008.

Facing a Bears team filled with defensive star power would be the next test in his sixth career start. A Lovie Smith-coached unit with Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, Tommie Harris, and Adewale Ogunleye could pose serious problems for any offense from 2005 to 2012. Combine that with the youth of the Falcons’ offense, and it made this a huge challenge for Ryan to win two consecutive games for the first time in his career.

No game managing this week

There was one notable theme about Ryan’s first five starts. When the Falcons won, Michael Turner ran for over 100 yards. When they lost, Turner was held to under 60 rushing yards and averaged three yards per carry.

As well as the rookie quarterback played, it was a run-first offense, clearly built around smash-mouth football, led by their big free-agent signing. Offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey’s philosophy was ideal for the offense at the time, as Turner was entering his prime as a force to be reckoned with. 

There was going to be a game when Ryan would have to deliver when the running game wasn’t producing. Despite being persistent in trying to get Turner going, he only ran for 54 yards on 25 carries. The Falcons’ revamped offensive line couldn’t get movement against Chicago’s stout front. That consistently put Ryan in longer down and distances. He wasn’t fazed by it one bit.

Ryan completed six passes of 12 yards or more in the first quarter. That includes converting two third downs of nine yards or more. He put terrific touch on a ball downfield to Harry Douglas on 3rd and 16 for a 22-yard gain. Four plays later, he connected with Roddy White to the left for 15 yards on 3rd and 9.

He showed tremendous poise on multiple drives of ten plays or more. While both only resulted in field goals, it was hugely encouraging to see the future Offensive Rookie of the Year make sharp decisions and read coverages with conviction.

The next drive went for ten plays again, where Ryan converted another third down, finding his security blanket that season in Brian Finneran. Although the drive ended in another field goal, the coaching staff began trusting their rookie quarterback more with more passes out of the shotgun.

The strong belief would need to remain throughout the game, as the Bears’ offense found a rhythm after struggling in the first half.

The first Matty Ice special

After another drive ended in a field goal, it was time for Ryan to get the Falcons into the end zone in the fourth quarter. Responding to a Bears’ touchdown drive that went for 14 plays and 79 yards, he led a 10-play, 75-yard drive where he made four big-time throws. It started with a beautiful ball over the top to Douglas for a 47-yard completion. He continued attacking Chicago’s Cover 2-based coverages in different ways, no matter the down and distance.

Connecting with White for a 26-yard pass on 2nd and 25 put them in the red zone. Facing a third and 11, he found Finneran again for a pivotal 13-yard gain. The inability to get much yardage on the ground on early downs would put most young quarterbacks at a total disadvantage. Ryan responded time and time again with accurate throws to keep drives going.

When the coaching staff wanted to get Ryan on the move with bootlegs or rollouts, he thrived in getting the ball out where needed. The long-awaited touchdown came on a sprint left, where he threw a dart to White for three yards to go up 19-10.

As was often the case during Mike Smith’s tenure, the Falcons couldn’t hold a fourth-quarter lead. Chicago put together multiple scoring drives. The normally reliable Jason Elam missed a 33-yard field goal that could have sealed the game. After Kyle Orton’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Rashied Davis in the back of the end zone, it left Ryan with only six seconds to work with. That was enough time for him to save the day.

Ryan hadn’t been sacked all game, as the pass protection held up well and the play-calling helped keep him clean. The three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Harris looked ready to finish the game with a sack after beating Justin Blalock inside.

Feeling the interior pressure, Ryan had to get the ball up to Jenkins on a deep corner. As Harris closed in, he recognized the soft zone in Chicago’s coverage to place the throw in the perfect spot for Jenkins to make the catch and get out of bounds with one second left.

That remarkable 26-yard pass under duress allowed Elam to kick a game-winning 48-yard field goal. It was a massive moment for such a young team that relied on its rookie quarterback to take command in winning a close game. The memorable throw also put him over 300 passing yards for the first time in his career.

Ryan delivered when the running game wasn’t clicking. He connected with four different wide receivers consistently to produce explosive plays and key third-down conversions. He took his one chance to put the team in a winning position with six seconds left. The darkness of 2007 was quickly vanishing in the light of Atlanta’s new fearless quarterback.

The Matt Ryan Masterclass Series List

Five touchdowns are not enough

Opening day rivalry shootout

First playoff win

Motown Saturday night fever

Thursday night thriller