FLOWERY BRANCH -- Over the past three NFL seasons, it has become common for rookie quarterbacks to receive substantial playing time.

Since Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco guided the Falcons and the Ravens to the playoffs in 2008, teams are moving away from the notion that rookie quarterbacks need to watch from the sidelines, wearing a baseball cap and holding clipboard.

Instead of serving an apprenticeship, they are getting tossed onto the field, and most are enjoying some success.

Ryan, who has the Falcons off to a 7-2 start, and the latest rookie phenom, St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford, will face off at 4:05 p.m. Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.

Bradford has the Rams off to a 4-5 start and contending in the NFC West. They are 4-1 at home.

"It speaks to the quality of men that have been coaching them in high school and college," said Falcons assistant head coach/quarterbacks Bill Musgrave. "When you look at Josh Freeman, Sam Bradford, Matt Ryan and Mark Sanchez, they've been trained at a very high level throughout high school and college, so they were ready to step in at the pro level."

Last season, Sanchez helped guide the New York Jets to the AFC championship game.

Playing rookie quarterbacks still is a dangerous proposition.

Detroit, which has a shaky offensive line and no dependable running game, has been unable to protect Matthew Stafford, the No. 1 pick in 2009 from Georgia. He has missed substantial time because of injuries in his first two years in the league.

The common thread is that most of the rookies are playing with teams with solid lines and a good running back. Bradford has veteran running back Steven Jackson to lean on.

"He's not thrown an interception in the last four games," Falcons coach Mike Smith said. "I've been very impressed. He's run the two-minute offense. I think he's a really good quarterback prospect."

Normally, teams would try to blitz rookie quarterbacks and hope they would make mistakes.

"I have not seen any weakness in terms of his makeup," Smith said. "He's a guy who knows where to go with the football."

Ryan said the key for him during his rookie season was to know his place. He rarely spoke and just went about his business. He offered that same advice to the Bradford.

"From what I've seen, he's done a great job," Ryan said. "He's handled himself really well in the interviews that I've seen. I'm happy for him and glad that he's come in and has done a really good job."

Ryan's backup, Chris Redman, believes the young players learn quicker on the field.

"It is becoming more of a trend," Redman said. "Offseason programs have been extended. I think the biggest thing for a young quarterback is to establish a routine. That's what the great one's do. They find out what they need to do to be prepared, and then they stay in that routine for the season."

Falcons linebacker Curtis Lofton played two seasons with Bradford at Oklahoma and is not surprised by his early success.

"It's the maturity of the players," Lofton said. "Not all quarterbacks can come in this league and play."

Running back Michael Turner played at San Diego when they had Drew Brees and drafted Philip Rivers in 2004. Rivers watched Brees for two seasons and threw only 30 passes.

"It depends on who you have their already," Turner said. "We were fortunate to have Drew Brees in San Diego, and he was playing lights out. There wasn't any point in sitting him. With Matt here, he came here and played well.

"They saw what Flacco was doing in Baltimore, and teams are not scared on playing them right away anymore."

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