X-Factor: Matt Ryan thankful for Falcons’ rematch with the Saints

“I have a lot to be thankful for,” Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. “There is a lot to be thankful for, for sure. Everybody is watching, and it’s a great stage for us to be on. This is the stuff you dream about when you are a kid. Playing in these games on a Thanksgiving night, it is going to be a lot of fun and will be a great atmosphere.”

Last season, the Saints prevailed 31-17 on Thanksgiving in New Orleans.

“This is two years in a row with the Saints,” Ryan said. “It is kind of cool to play a rivalry game that night. I am good with playing them (the Saints) whenever they schedule them – Sunday, Monday, Thursday. It doesn’t make a difference to me.”

The Falcons could have to play without wide receiver Julio Jones, who didn’t practice even though the team was just holding walk-throughs. Dr. David J. Chao, a former NFL doctor for 17 years, reviewed the play on which Jones was injured and concluded that he had a AC-joint injury and could try to play through the pain.

“(Jones) is a warrior, there is no question about that,” Ryan said. “That is just part of it though. Everybody has these kinds of things that happen throughout the year where you have to deal with guys being down.”

Second-year wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage will have to pick up the slack if Jones doesn’t play.

“We have got enough weapons to do it – there is no doubt about it,” Ryan said. “There are guys we have called on the past couple of weeks to expand their role, and I think they have done a good job. That is going to be the case every week. You do not know how games are going to shake out and everybody has to be prepared and ready to go.”

---

Subscribe to "The Bow Tie Chronicles" podcast with the AJC's D. Orlando Ledbetter on iTunes or on the new AJC sports podcasts page.