Matt Ryan vs. Joe Flacco: Which QB off to Hot Start Enjoys More Success in 2012?

Ironically, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco each tossed for 299 yards in Week 1 to open the 2012 NFL season.

Both 27-year-old quarterbacks are also coming off two impressive 2011 seasons, but the playoffs were quite disappointing. So, their slicing and dicing from this past weekend is evident of the motive to crush even more throughout 2012.

That said: Which signal-caller turns out the better performance this fall?

Well, let's break down each of their first games and come up with some answers.

Note: All Matt Ryan screenshots courtesy of NFL Game Rewind. All Joe Flacco screenshots courtesy of NFL.com.

Matt Ryan, Falcons

Against the Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Ryan finished with 299 yards, three touchdowns, no picks and ran for a fourth score. Additionally, he had a 74.2 completion percentage and was in the zone all game long.

Atlanta's first possession was the most crucial, because after two runs by Michael Turner, the Falcons faced an important third-and-short inside their own 30-yard line. Needing to move the chains to prevent K.C. from gaining early momentum, here's how Ryan converted.

Facing a blitz with a linebacker spy, Ryan knows he has man coverage from the Chiefs with a single high safety.

As the play develops, everyone is blanketed. We may think receiver Harry Douglas is open at the top of the screen, but he's not past the first-down marker and a defender is playing up to him. A pass there would only be short of the line.

In the middle, the linebacker spy moves left (or down on the screen) because of the running back and opens the underneath routes. You can clearly see tight end Tony Gonzalez and receiver Julio Jones performing a route combination.

After Jones and Gonzalez cross one another's paths, the slimmest of separation is made for each target. Ryan could go to either, but Gonzalez is the safer choice because he's covered by the nickel corner—meaning mismatch—and it's a shorter throw being a right-handed quarterback.

Going to Jones, despite the separation, would be a much longer pass and give the defender that little extra time to make a play on the ball.

So, Ryan completes it to Gonzalez just past the sticks and the drive stays alive.

On the next play, Atlanta comes out in a heavier formation and K.C. stacks the box. On the outside, you have press coverage and a Cover 2 from the safeties.

Now, remember the two runs by Michael Turner on the first set of downs?

Well, those combined with finding Gonzalez underneath opens up the intermediate level for Julio Jones.

The inside 'backers are caught frozen two yards from the line of scrimmage which creates extra space for Ryan to find Jones over the middle. If Ryan's play-fake isn't convincing enough, this play doesn't execute properly.

Instead, Ryan does find Jones and it results in a 25-yard gain. K.C. was failing in man and zone coverage against Ryan all day and his precision paid off immensely.

Joe Flacco, Ravens

Just like Matt Ryan to Kansas City, Joe Flacco tore up the Cincinnati Bengals defense on Monday night.

Completing 72.4 percent of his passes, Flacco had two touchdowns with no interceptions and averaged over 14 yards per completion. From play one, Flacco was airing it out and had Cincy's defense on its heels all game long.

From the Ravens' 21-yard line, the Bengals come out in base and Flacco play-fakes to Ray Rice.

As the play develops, we see Cincinnati is in man coverage on the outside and Cover 1 over the top.

However, that play-action causes the single high safety to freeze and it ultimately leaves cornerback Leon Hall one-on-one against Torrey Smith without any help over the top.

Smith wins the mismatch and the Ravens get a 52-yard gain to open the contest.

Any team playing the Ravens should never bother to double-team Anquan Boldin, because Smith is the extremely more dangerous deep threat. But, the play-action gave Flacco a matchup he liked and his strong arm will certainly make that toss every time.

Had there been a safety helping over the top, then Flacco likely goes elsewhere. Unfortunately for the Bengals, he's only continuing to prove at quickly surveying the field.

On the touchdown pass to tight end Dennis Pitta, Flacco did exactly that once again. Here, Cincy shows man coverage across the board but has no defender deeper than seven yards.

Sure, Baltimore is inside the red zone but the Ravens aren't so close to the goal line where bump-and-run coverage is needed. If anything, just getting inside leverage to use the boundary as an extra defender would suffice.

Cincinnati then proceeds to man coverage with a blitz and a linebacker spy over the middle. Well, much like Ryan to Gonzalez, Flacco utilizes the size of his target and puts one up over the blitz.

At this point Pitta just runs past the 'backer spying and then what remains is simple: Go up and get it.

The best aspect Flacco displayed in Week 1 was putting the ball in position for his targets to make plays. He immediately recognized the most favorable matchup and just took advantage. By not trying to do too much, Flacco is allowing his proven playmakers to, well, make plays.

That's what he did against a Bengals defense that was top 10 in 2011, so only expect Flacco to keep dominating as 2012 progresses.

And the Early Season Prediction Goes to...

This is tough because both of these young quarterbacks are going to have great seasons.

Having to choose one, though, Matt Ryan has the slight edge primarily based on the NFC South not being nearly as tough of a defensive division.

For as much as Flacco shredded Cincinnati, the Bengals will play him better at home and the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers are no joke either. Ryan on the other hand, faces defenses in the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Although these teams have displayed improvements on the defensive side, none are on the AFC North's level.

Looking at opponents outside the division and each plays the entire NFC East and AFC West. So, we can call those eight games a wash. The matchups that are a major difference, however, are Baltimore having to face the New England Patriots and Houston Texans.

Atlanta on the flip side, lines up against the Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions. In short, Ryan has a major competitive advantage there, because the Pats and Texans are astronomically better than Arizona and Detroit at defense.

Both have strong years but Ryan's easier defensive schedule gives him the edge.

Follow John Rozum on Twitter.