Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan wins AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in a landslide.
Matt Ryan is more than the face of the sensational turnaround by the Atlanta Falcons. He also is the best member of a superb rookie crop, earning The Associated Press 2008 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award Tuesday.
The quarterback from Boston College, selected third overall in April’s draft, was a landslide winner in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league. Ryan became the third quarterback in five years to win the award; before that, no QB ever took the honor.
He joins Ben Roethlisberger (2004) and Vince Young (2006) as top rookie quarterbacks.
Well deserved. Ryan stepped in right from Week 1 and played like a veteran for 16 games. I realize Joe Flacco was equally impressive this season, but he benefited from playing for a team with one of the best defenses in the league. The Falcons’ defense is a bit underrated, but they didn’t give Ryan the same scoring opportunities as the Ravens did Flacco. Ryan didn’t get to play the Bengals and Browns twice a year, either.
It’ll be nice to see Ryan on a national stage for the first time this season when the Falcons head to Arizona to play the Cardinals this Saturday for Wild Card Weekend. Check this kid out if you haven’t seen him play yet – he’s amazing. (Although, as I wrote last Sunday, he seems to be hitting that rookie wall because he hasn’t been as sharp lately as he had been earlier in the year.)
Isn’t “amazing” kind of a strong word? While I fully realize that, for a rookie, Ryan’s year has been amazing, at this point isn’t he just an above-average NFL QB?
Before you lambaste me, take your Falcons goggles off for a second and look at this objectively.
Why do you want to rain on my parade, JP?
Yeah, he’s just an above-average NFL QB – if you want to compare a rookie to every veteran in the league.
To me, starting 16 games as a rookie and leading a team (that some predicted to win one or two games this season) to an 11-5 record and the playoffs is amazing.
But if you want to crack out the stats (and Lord knows you probably will!), then Ryan does probably grade out to above-average.
Waaaaa! Somebody wants me to put away the annointing oil when it comes to Matt Ryan…waaaaaa!
By saying that he’s “amazing” you’re going to have every Tom, Dick and Harry tuning in expecting to see a rocket arm, great wheels or whatever. Like I said, his season has been amazing, and Matt Ryan has been amazing for a rookie, but he’s just an above average QB right now.
And that’s amazing, given his lack of experience. But it’s hard to watch a game and tell if a guy is 23 or 32.
You’re getting way too technical.
Watch the game and tell me what you think. And don’t just wait for the stat sheet to come in before making your opinion.
If he was a Packer you’d have a life-sized poster up on your wall and a shrine dedicated to him in your closet!