Falcons quarterback Ryan is set to play against the Dolphins at 7 p.m. tonight at Hard Rock Stadium.
He’ll likely play one series. Newly signed quarterback Jay Culter will not play for the Dolphins.
“For me it’s about going out there and trying to start fast,” Ryan said. “Whenever you get this first (exhibition) game, we’re knocking the rust off when we first get into training camp. You’re doing that same thing the first time you go out there and play.”
Ryan, the league’s reigning most valuable player, is looking forward to playing.
“It’s different when things are live,” Ryan said. “I want to see where we’re at for sure and where I am at from a timing and feel perspective. With whatever opportunity we get out on the field and however long Dan Quinn has us go, I want to make the most of it and compete to try to be the best that we can be.”
The Falcons have been working on improving their situational football awareness in practice.
“To us, 50 percent of the game is non-first and second down calls,” Ryan said. “You’re in third down and red zone situations. You’re in two-minute and four-minute situations. All kinds of different things come up.”
The work in practice now, helps when they come up in games.
“The better we can be in situational football, the more success we’ll have,” Ryan said. “I think Dan Quinn has done a great job of putting us in those situations every day and forcing us to concentrate not only on just executing the play, but also understanding what scenario in the game we’re working on.”
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