This year, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco have completely changed their respective team's seasons. Last year, Ryan's Falcons and Flacco's Ravens went a combined 8-24. This year, they are a combined 20-10, much due to the play of the rookies.
Flacco has led the Ravens to 10-5 and has drawn many comparisons to Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the way that he can, while not making it look pretty, get it done. He has thrown for 2,674 yards and 14 touchdowns and has turned the team around. But not 360 degrees. In a win over the Dallas Cowboys Saturday night on NFL Network, Flacco was 17-for-25 passing with 149 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions.
For weeks, I have tried and tried and tried to have something negative to say about Ryan so that I can make it so Flacco deserves Rookie of the Year more. But I just can't do it anymore. The Massachusetts native makes it look pretty and wins. He has 3,280 yards and 15 touchdowns with the same record as Flacco, 10-5. He has led his team to a bigger turnaround, from 3-13 to 10-5.
Yahoo! Sports NFL writer Michael Silver has often referred to Flacco as the "poor man's Ben Roethlisberger." When I sit back and think about it, he's right.
Roethlisberger, like Flacco, didn't put up sexy numbers as a rookie (2621 yards, 17 touchdowns, 11 interceptions), but led his team to a whopping 15-1 record, and 13-0 when he started.
Flacco isn't 13-0, but is 10-5 and, much like Big Ben, doesn't have the most jaw-dropping numbers. He has 2,674 yards and a very mediocre 7:6 touchdown to interception ratio, but his TD-INT ratio the last 10 games is 13:5.
Matt Ryan reminds me a lot of Tom Brady. He has the arm, mind and poise to become comparable to him in years. As a rookie, Brady was 1-for-3 with six yards. In his first full year as a starter, 2001, he was 11-3 with 2,843 yards, 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Not very close to Ryan's rookie numbers, I know. But Ryan brings back memories of Brady when he was younger and could become the Tom Brady of ten years from now.
Flacco also reminds me of Roethlisberger because he won't have to do quite as much as Ryan because of the defense he has around him and could be considered more "playoff-ready" than Ryan. Roethlisberger has that, too. He has a first-ranked defense—in rushing, passing, overall, and sacks. So Roethlisberger doesn't have to put up incredible numbers to take his team deep in the playoffs.
What the Ravens have done so well is setting Flacco up to be successful with a three-headed monster in the backfield, a still-dominant defense, and some occasional expected plays from Flacco.
Flacco also reminds me of Big Ben with his poise in the pocket. He is able to have people rushing at him and stay cool. He has earned the nickname "Joe Cool." Flacco even has two rushing touchdowns and 43 receiving yards!
Their sizes are similar, as well. Flacco stands 6'6" and weighs 236 pounds. Roethlisberger stands 6'4" and weighs 240 pounds.
Flacco and Roethlisberger have met—twice. The Steelers came out twice, much due to the fact that Big Ben has the ability to execute the two minute drill, being that he has been in the NFL for five seasons and Flacco is closing his first. But for Flacco, there will be more battles. Many more chances.
Ryan will have to carry the Falcons if he wants to take them deep. Quite frankly, I don't know what to expect. I thought the Falcons would finish 4-12 before the year and they are 10-5, so I can't speak about the Falcons anymore.
What Ryan has done as a rookie is just out of this world. Not many quarterbacks in this league—even the vets—could carry this Falcons team to a 13-3 record. He hasn't done it himself, no. But he has shouldered most of the load.
That's another way Ryan reminds me of Brady. When in New England, Brady never really had an elite running back. Sure, he had some respectable ones (Antwain Smith, Corey Dillon, Laurence Maroney) but he never had an elite one.
Ryan has an elite one, which could lead many to the conclusion that Ryan could produce more rings then Brady when it's all said and done. But let's not get caught up in what could happen in years.
But could Ryan, in seven or eight years, carry his team to a 16-0 regular season record? At the pace he's on, it's quite possible.
Like NFL Network analyst and former coach Steve Mariucci said, "The scary thing is, this is a rebuilding year for Atlanta." The scariest part about it: it's true.
Not only are these guys the futures and faces of their respective franchises, they are the future faces of the NFL and, at this rate, the Hall of Fame.
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