Ryan keeps Giants reeling

ATLANTA 23 N.Y. GIANTS 20

ATLANTA — Matt Ryan is putting up MVP-like numbers, even on a team not living up to expectations.

Ryan turned in another brilliant performance in prime time Monday, throwing for 379 yards and completing his final 18 passes to lead the Atlanta Falcons to their second straight victory, 23-20 over the struggling New York Giants.

Ryan threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Hall, Tevin Coleman broke loose on a 30-yard scoring run and the Falcons added another chapter to New York’s miserable season, sending the Giants (1-6) to their fourth straight loss.

“I don’t feel like we’re a 1-6 team,” said Odell Beckham Jr., who hauled in eight passes for 143 yards, pushing him past 5,000 in his career. “That’s what our record is, but that’s not the feeling in the locker room.”

Ryan was the league’s most valuable player in 2016 when he led Atlanta to the Super Bowl. While these Falcons (3-4) haven’t played to that level, their quarterback is putting up numbers that measure up to what he did two years ago: a 71.1% completion rate, 2,335 passing yards, 15 touchdown passes and only two interceptions.

It was also a big night for Giorgio Tavecchio, who was signed during the week to fill in for injured Atlanta kicker Matt Bryant. Tavecchio made all three of his fieldgoal tries, including a 56yarder for the longest of his career to help seal the win.

Facing one of the NFL’s worst defenses, New York allowed Eli Manning to be sacked four times, got just 43 rushing yards by star rookie Saquon Barkley and botched a fourth-and-goal from the one early in the third quarter.