There's nothing better in sports than seeing two elite athletes go head-to-head and in football, quarterback duels are one of the most exciting aspects of the game.
That's exactly what Atlanta Falcons fans will get to witness on Monday night when the Denver Broncos come into the Georgia Dome, and Matt Ryan and Peyton Manning go at it. The buildup and excitement has been gaining intensity with each passing day, and fans of the NFL are excited for this marqee matchup between two of the game's best signal callers.
After Friday's practice, Falcons head coach Mike Smith spoke on a number or elements leading into the big game. The coach spoke on how the team is preparing for Manning, on Asante Samuel's experience playing against him and if he's provided any useful information, and on having home field advantage.
Smith was also asked if he sees any similarities between Manning and Ryan and the coach noted that the two quarterbacks do indeed share similar qualities:
"Physically, they're almost the same height in terms of size. When you talk about Peyton Manning, you're talking about one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. When you watch Matt at his stage in his career of where he is, I think he's very comparable to Peyton Manning. He has a very good understanding of how to defeat defenses. He knows where to go with the football. He's very accurate, and believe it or not Peyton is sneaky, especially in his younger days, when he tried to escape and run. I think Matt is the same type of guy. He can make plays with his feet when the opportunity arises."
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