While not on par with the Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning showdowns in the AFC, the meetings between Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, before the Falcons dipped in 2013, had the makings of a promising NFC marquee matchup.
The nation will get to see its current mutation when the Falcons (5-7) face the streaking Packers (9-3) at 8:30 p.m. Monday at Lambeau Field.
“We have had some battles,” Rodgers said. “We had the battle down there where they got us right at the end of regulation. We got them on Sunday night the following year, I believe it was. Then we got them in the playoffs. There have been some good battles.”
Unless there is some bizarre emergency, Rodgers and Ryan won’t be on the field at the same time. However, that doesn’t seem to stop folks from pitting the quarterbacks against one another.
“That’s one of the things, where sometimes they get made out to be bigger than they are,” said Ryan of quarterback matchups. “Certainly, our teams have had some good games in the past. We have played in the past in important situations. That’s always fun.”
This qualifies as an important game despite the Falcons’ losing record.
The Falcons are in first place in the NFC South and are trying to stay in the hunt for a playoff berth. The Packers are in first place in the NFC North and have their eyes on earning the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the playoffs.
The Falcons have won three of the past four games and beat Arizona, which had the best record in the league at 9-2 last week.
“I think it gives you confidence that you can go out there and play with anybody in this league,” Ryan said.
Since 2008, when Rodgers took over in Green Bay for Brett Favre and Ryan started as a rookie for the Falcons, the teams have met five times. The Packers lead 3-2 over that period, but Ryan and Rodgers are 2-2 head to head.
The first meeting was in Lambeau Field in 2008 and Ryan guided the Falcons to a surprising 27-24 victory.
“I remember the first time that they came here and he was a rookie,” Rodgers said. “He came up here and was running the no-huddle. That was really impressive. He was calling plays at the line of scrimmage and getting into checks.”
Rodgers out-gunned Ryan as he passed for 313 yards to Ryan’s 194. The Falcons had a better rushing attack: Michael Turner out-gained Ryan Grant in rushing yards 121-83.
The Falcons won the next meeting during the 2010 regular season, a 20-17 thriller at the Georgia Dome as kicker Matt Bryant made a 47-yard field goal with 13 seconds left. The Falcons defense had a big red-zone stop.
But later that season, in the divisional round of the playoffs, Rodgers led a passing assault as the Packers steamrolled the No. 1-seeded Falcons 48-21 on Jan. 15, 2011 on their way to the Super Bowl title.
During the following season, the Packers beat the Falcons 25-14 at the Georgia Dome on Oct. 9, 2011. The Falcons jumped to a 14-0 lead, but Rodgers cut up the secondary for 396 yards and 25 consecutive points.
Last season, Rodgers was out with an injury, and Matt Flynn led the Packers to a thrilling 22-21 victory at Lambeau Field.
Both of the quarterbacks seem to have a mutual respect for one another. They’ve meet at the annual celebrity golf outing in Lake Tahoe.
“I’ve known Aaron since I’ve came into the league,” Ryan said. “He’s a great guy and really great competitor. He’s playing at a really, really high level, but he’s been doing that for a long time.
“I always have had the utmost respect for him and how he handles himself. He’s continuing to play great.”
After Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Nolan’s former team passed on Rodgers in the 2005 draft, he slipped to the 24th pick. The San Francisco 49ers, who had Nolan as head coach at the time, selected Utah’s Alex Smith.
Rodgers sat for three seasons behind Brett Favre, before being handed the keys to the car.
The Falcons selected Ryan with the third pick of the 2008 draft after former quarterback Michael Vick was sent to federal prison for his involvement in an interstate dogfighting ring.
Rodgers has a 67-32 regular-season mark and is 5-4 in the playoffs. He has been to three Pro Bowls. Ryan has a 65-41 regular-season record and is 1-4 in the playoffs. He has been to two Pro Bowls.
In April of 2013, Rodgers signed a seven-year contract worth $130.75 million, which included $54 million guaranteed.
In July 2013, Ryan signed a seven-year, $113.75 million deal that including $59 million guaranteed.
“Matt is an ascending player,” Rodgers said. “He’s a guy that I enjoy watching on film. I enjoy spending time with him in Lake Tahoe playing golf. He’s got a great demeanor and personality.”
Rodgers acknowledges that he checked out his counterpart during training camp when the Falcons were featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”
“It was fun to watch him interact with the guys at practice and in the meeting rooms,” Rodgers said. “I just think he brings a really good energy to the team, and he’s obviously a very, very talented quarterback who can make all of the throws.”
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