Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who went to the Pro Bowl last season, is set to enter his fourth season in the NFL. Here’s a brief Q&A involving Ryan and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s D. Orlando Ledbetter:
Q: What are the keys when facing Chicago’s cover-two zone defense?
A: It’s not one of the defenses that lines up in a different alignment every time. With that said, this is a defense that is very good at what they do. They put the onus on you to go out there and execute at a high level. They are very good, very disciplined. They’ve got very talented players, and they will force us to be on top of what we do on every snap.
Q: With the Bears adding safety Brandon Merriweather just last week, how difficult is it not knowing who’s going to play safety for them?
A: That’s one of the things that you just have to adjust to. You see that every opening week, that’s part of the turnover in the NFL. That’s part of what you see week-in and week-out. Guys move up. Guys move down. Different people are in different positions, and you have to adjust to them.
Q: What are your thoughts on Chicago cornerback Charles Tillman?
A: He’s still playing good. When you watch them on film, he’s very good in their scheme. He’s physical. He does a great job in press coverage, bump-and-run coverage. He knows how to play the position, and he knows how to play the defense. He does a good job.
