The End to the Atlanta Falcons Great Season: The Clock Hits Midnight

When thinking about Matt Ryan, we all know the numbers—16 touchdowns, 3440 yard, 11 wins et cetera—but the number that should be most paid attention to is 5 million. That’s the population of the city of Atlanta.

Ryan’s play has turned the Atlanta sports scene around 180 degrees, changing most fans from Vick supporters to Falcons fans. His main tool in this resurgence has been his maturity, which was in full effect on Saturday in his first playoff game, which was a loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

While, yes, he had his rookie moments, he also had his flashes of greatness to come. Even with those mistakes, there were no doubt in the fans' minds watching the game that if he would have gotten one more shot, he would have drove down the field for a game-winning score.

The first throw of Ryan’s career was a 67-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jenkins against the Detroit Lions. His first playoffs throw was an interception to Ralph Brown. But it’s what happened after that folly that’s most telling of how great he can be, and how mature he already is.

He then went on a nine-play drive, in which he was 6-6 passing, incorporating the no huddle and doing everything a playoff quarterback is supposed to do. Closing the half out with a 17- 14 lead.

The third quarter was one to forget. The team couldn’t stop Arizona, and Michael Turner was held completely in check three rushes for zero yards. In the fourth, Ryan looked more like the player that was named AP rookie of the year, taking the Falcons right down the field and throwing a touch down pass to all-pro Roddy White.

Then the frustration really began. Leaving the outcome up to the defense; needing a stop on third, Kurt Warner had all day to throw to a wide open TE in the middle of the field after a blown assignment by Keith Brooking, who in his later years of a HOF career has been a passing situation liability.

With the Falcons having no more timeouts, the cards lined up in the victory formation, and we watched the end of the Falcons' Cinderella season as the seconds ticked away.

Even as surprisingly good as this season has been, there were no smiles and cheers in the Falcons’ locker room after the game. In an interview Keith Brooking said it best, “there are not a lot of positives right now.”

He, better than anyone, knows the ups and downs of the NFL. To be a great organization, you must think like a winner; there is no time for morale victories.

This season, while the end was a bit disappointing, has been great to watch, not just as an Atlanta fans but as a football enthusiast. I would like to thank the Falcons for a great year, and I look forward to watching “Matty Ice” and this team improve together.