Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, for the first time in his career, is mired in a slump.
Over the past four games, Ryan threw five touchdown passes and nine interceptions, and was under relentless pressure. He had an average passer rating of 68.2 in blowout losses to Arizona, Carolina, Seattle and Tampa Bay.
Here’s a brief Q&A involving Ryan and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s D. Orlando Ledbetter.
Q: How has the effort been this season?
A: I think the effort has been all right. I don't think the effort has been our problem this year. I think it's come down to execution and sloppy play. Making mistakes prior to the snap of the ball, we can't have those kind of things. … I think our effort has been there.
Q: Are guys playing too tight?
A: We've always strived to have no mental errors going into the games. You understand that you're not going to be perfect, but you want to be close to it. We have been close to it for whatever reason.
Q: New Orleans and Kansas City had quick turnarounds this year. Can the Falcons have a quick turnaround next season?
A: Every team is different. Every year is different. Coach (Mike) Smith does a great job at the beginning of every season telling us (that) what we've done in the past has no bearing on what we're going to do in the future. That's the case for everybody. As players, we have to finish this. We have to finish this season off the right way.
About the Author
