In one of the most recent installments of the NFL Network's ongoing "Top 100" countdown, the Falcons' very own Matt Ryan was voted in as the 52nd best player in the NFL. That ranking beats out fellow top 100 quarterbacks Tony Romo, Josh Freeman, Joe Flacco and Donovan Mcnabb. That also doesn't even take into count potential QB snubs like Eli Manning, Jay Cutler, or even Matt Schaub.
In nfl.com's interview with coach Mike Smith about Ryan's abilities as an NFL QB, Smitty went so far as to call him "the most competitive quarterback I have ever been around." Fans and analysts alike hail "Matty Ice" for his cool mentality and his ability to come through in the clutch, but you only need to look at the improvement from 2009 to 2010 to know that Matt Ryan means business.
2009: 263 completions, 2916 yards passing, 22 TD, 14 INT, 58.3 comp%
2010: 357 completions, 3705 yards passing, 28 TD, 9 INT, 62.5 comp%
Now, we do have to take everything in stride and remind ourselves that this is a very subjective list. However, this recognition is certainly a nice reminder to Atlanta fans that the Falcons clearly have an elite quarterback on their hands, and one that will be around for a long time at that.
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