Ryan outduels Rodgers for critical Falcons win
Any sort of win would have been nice for the Atlanta Falcons in their bid to stop a two-game skid.
But the type of victory they got Sunday, beating the Green Bay Packers 33-32 with a fourth-quarter comeback courtesy of a perfectly executed final drive by quarterback Matt Ryan, should prove something to the Falcons and to the rest of the NFL.
Internally, the Falcons needed reassurance they could win the close games. Sure, blowouts are fun, but winning like this showed that they aren’t likely to collapse. And after watching Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers lead an 81⁄ 2- minute touchdown drive, which he capped by strutting into the end zone for a two-point conversion with just less than four minutes remaining to put Green Bay up 32-26, it was certainly fair to wonder if Atlanta was going to falter again.
These are the same Falcons that started 5-0 last year before finishing 8-8 and out of the playoffs, and this is a team that lost its last two games by a combined five points. Ryan threw late interceptions in both defeats, at the Seattle Seahawks two weeks ago and at home against the San Diego Chargers last week.
“We need to learn how to finish,” defensive end Adrian Clayborn said. “It feels good to know we can do it.”
This time, Ryan provided a reminder as to why he’s a leading MVP contender. He completed nine of 11 passes on Atlanta’s clinching drive, including a perfectly placed 11-yard touchdown throw to Mohamed Sanu with 31 seconds remaining. The Falcons didn’t call a single running play in that drive, which Ryan operated mostly from the shotgun and without a huddle.
“We’re always capable of that,” wide receiver Julio Jones said. Still, it felt good to be reminded. The Falcons entered Sunday’s game facing plenty of questions about this team’s mettle. Jones said the external doubts crept into the locker room, and his teammates admitted they needed this sort of boost.
“To go down there and put up seven, that was big,” running back Terron Ward told USA TODAY Sports. “It was big for the team’s energy and morale. If we had lost another close one, it would have been tough, you know what I mean? It’s good to win these close games.”
Rodgers certainly made it difficult. The two-time MVP completed 28 of 38 passes (with four of those incompletions coming on the final desperation series) and tossed four touchdown passes, including a 7-yarder to Jeff Janis with 3:58 remaining to give Green Bay its final lead.
Rodgers was also the Packers’ leading rusher with 60 yards, highlighting some of the serious offensive issues they continue to face with Eddie Lacy on injured reserve and James Starks sidelined with a knee injury.
Relying on Rodgers, even if he’s recapturing vintage form after early-season struggles, to throw nearly 40 passes a game isn’t a sustainable formula.