When the Falcons finished off their dramatic comeback 30-28 win over the Panthers in Week Four, quarterback Matt Ryan was caught by television cameras sending a message to the visitors from Carolina.
“Get the (expletive) off our field!” Ryan said.
The Panthers got wind of Ryan’s exhortation and it has been serving as some motivation for the team leading into this weekend’s rematch. Defensive end Charles Johnson said that the team marked Sunday down when they first heard what Ryan had to say and cornerback Captain Munnerlyn was also left dismayed by what he called “harsh words” from Ryan.
“I can’t repeat it to you. That’s how bad it was,” Munnerlyn said, via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “He totally disrespected us. They won the game. They came all the way back and beat us. But to say what he said, I don’t think it was called for. He could have handled it a different way. But he said it.”
Bulletin board material can come in all shapes and forms and much of it borders on the ridiculous. This fits into that description, although it will seem less of making a mountain out of a molehill if the Panthers come up with a win on Sunday.
Of course, Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy gave the Falcons some comments rally around as well when he said he thought the Panthers were a better team than the Falcons. We’ll find out whose words summon up more of a reaction this weekend.