Lock, Ryan try to lead turnarounds
ATLANTA — Drew Lock and Matt Ryan are trying to lead midseason revivals for their NFL teams. Each quarterback is also trying to shaping his place in the franchise’s long-term plans.
Lock, a second-round draft pick in 2019, is working to prove he’s the right leader to help the Denver Broncos return to the playoffs for the first time since their Super Bowl 50 win in February 2016 with Peyton Manning taking the snaps.
Ryan, 35 and with one Super Bowl appearance in his 13th season as the starter for the Atlanta Falcons, wants to disprove the theory that it’s time for the organization to rebuild the roster, starting at the top.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2008 draft said he wants to finish his career in Atlanta. After general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Dan Quinn were fired last month after an 0-5 start to this season, there was speculation the Falcons would consider interest from other teams in their biggest stars, including Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones.
Still, there was no surprise the trade deadline passed with no moves by the Falcons. Team owner Arthur Blank and team president Rich McKay have said they want a new GM and coach
to make those most important roster decisions that will shape the franchise’s future.
Lock threw three fourth-quarter touchdown passes in a 31-30 comeback win over the Los Angeles Chargers last week. It was an important confidence-building performance by Lock after he threw four interceptions with no touchdown
passes in his previous two games, and Broncos coach Vic Fangio said the comeback win can boost the young quarterback’s career.
“He definitely needed it,” Fangio said. “Like I said, that’s the only way you’re going to truly have confidence and feel good. Now you’ve got something to build on. … Hopefully this will spring him forward through the rest of the season.”
The Broncos (3-4), who are set to visit the Falcons today, have won three of their past four games since opening the season with three straight losses. Denver’s only setback since the 0-3 start was a 43-16 blowout on Oct. 25 at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning Super Bowl champions.
The Falcons (2-6) have won two of three under interim head coach Raheem Morris, who was promoted from defensive coordinator after Quinn was fired a little more than a month into his sixth season in Atlanta.
Morris has talked of the team imposing its will on opponents. The Falcons, who haven’t won back-to-back games since a 4-0 run to close the 2019 regular season, finally displayed the grit their coach seeks when Blidi Wreh-Wilson’s late interception preserved a 25-17 road win over the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 29.
Atlanta has averaged 401 yards per game, which ranked sixth in the NFL entering Week 9, but the offense has sputtered too often in the red zone. That was the focus in practice this past week.
“Touchdowns,” Ryan said. “That’s the number one thing. Finding a way to do it. I think that comes with running the football well. I think we’ve done a pretty good job of that. We have to capitalize in the pass game when we get opportunities.”