Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan and the Audacity Of Hope

It has never been easy to be a Falcons fan. 

Hope and heartbreak have been the hallmarks for the Atlanta faithful.  Recently, we had draped Michael Vick in the flag of hope, daring to dream he'd carry it with him to a Super Bowl Championship. 

Instead, Vick pinned his hopes on a couple of pitbulls, chewing, gnawing and biting at each other in a bloody pit in the basement of his home.  Those mutts that let him down, he and his cronies shot dead but only after counting the cash the dogfights brought in. 

That scenario is heartbreaking on so many levels, it's hard to say who's feeling it the most.

Vick got his comeuppance - despite having found Jesus - and is spending some quality time behind bars.  

In the meantime, hope springs eternal in both Atlanta and among its legions of fans only now, hope rests squarely on the shoulders of Matt Ryan.

Ryan was drafted third by the Falcons which came as no real surprise to anybody. The Boston College phenom and ACC player of the year has some impressive numbers that bode well for the Falcons:

-         837 completions out of 1,347 passes

-         9,313 total yards

-         56 touchdowns and 37 interceptions

The kid’s got a good arm and, according to his former teammates, is a well-rounded individual with strong leadership qualities – all things the Atlanta Falcons have needed in a quarterback since about 2004.

The Falcons have been on a steady decline following that year, going 8-8 in 2005, 7-9 in 2006 and a dismal 4-12 last season.  Aside from the Vick fiasco, the ’08 season was truly rock bottom for the Falcons which saw coach Bobby Petrino bail like a rat from a sinking ship. 

How's that for leadership?

Again, it comes back to Matt Ryan. 

Drafting Ryan may not have been the smartest move for Atlanta.  It's lacking in several other key areas, both offensively and defensively; finding a quarterback to helm this team probably could have waited until next year.

Taking Ryan, however, is understandable.  

This is a team trying to rebuild not only on the field but off, as well.  The Vick dogfighting scandal was a PR nightmare that left a the team bruised, beaten and battered.  By drafting Ryan, it sends the message the Falcons have moved on, have erased the Vick stink from the locker room and is, once again, ready to be a contender. 

Real Falcons fans know, though, this probably won't be the year.  

Gone are some of the marquee players, the familiar names like Warrick Dunn and Alge Crumpler, neither of which will be missed all that much.

Aside from Ryan, the Falcons have signed USC offensive lineman Sam Baker, a brute of a man with a scraggly beard and infectious smile.  He'll bring some much needed protection for the rookie QB.  They've also drafted for the future by selecting running back Thomas Brown.  By all accounts, Brown is quick on his feet and a solid pass blocker.  He's also a Georgia Bulldog so as long as he stays away from Vick, he'll be fine.

Ryan, though, is the man, that so-called franchise player every team wants, the guy who's got the most to gain and the most to prove but only once piece of a much bigger puzzle.  The pieces are there, it's just a matter of fitting it altogether. Hopefully, Ryan is the guy to do that. 

All us Falcons fans can do is hope Ryan is the guy to piece it altogether.