It’s been a pretty good week for Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.
He led his team to their 13th victory of the season against the Lions last Saturday night, locking up home-field advantage in the NFC in the process, and he was named to the Pro Bowl on Wednesday. Ryan also played well enough in that victory to be named the NFC’s offensive player of the week.
Ryan completed 25-of-32 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns in the game and even pitched in with 25 rushing yards. His first three touchdowns allowed the Lions to build a 21-6 halftime lead and number four ended a run of 10 straight Lions points that put them back within striking distance. He led one last drive for a field goal to give the Falcons a 31-18 lead.
Ryan will put the finishing touches on the best season of his five-year career this weekend. He’s set career highs across the board and kept the Falcons at the top of the league for the entire season. And none of that is going to stop plenty of people from saying that none of it matters if the Falcons flop in the playoffs again this year. That’s the last mountain for Ryan to climb in the NFL and it’s as imposing as all the rest of them put together.