Full Atlanta Falcons Awards at the Quarter Mark of the 2014 NFL Season

The first quarter of the season is finally over. The Atlanta Falcons have gone 2-2, and throughout their ups and downs, some players have truly stood out throughout the first four games. Awards seem like a bad idea at this point because there's still so much football left to be played.

That being said, Atlanta does have some solid talent on the roster, and despite getting destroyed by the Minnesota Vikings in a game the team had no business losing, the Falcons should have that talent recognized. 

Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Quarter

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QB Matt Ryan

For a guy who took a beating in the pocket last year, Matt Ryan is feeling much better this year. He's been sacked just five times through four games, and his stats have him on pace for the best season of his career. He's on pace for 608 attempts with 404 completions (66.4 percent), 5,052 yards, 40 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

Outside of the higher-than-usual interception pace that he's on, everything else would be near his career high. He's having an NFL MVP-caliber season, and should the Falcons make it to the playoffs and Ryan match or surpass his paces on touchdowns and yards, the Falcons would have the MVP wearing red and black for the first time.

Ryan is a legitimate top quarterback in the NFL, and his footwork in the pocket combined with being forced to run around more has allowed him to navigate the middle pocket the best he has in his seven-year career. The Falcons have a great one here, and without Ryan, the team would be lucky to be 2-2.

Defensive Player of the Quarter

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CB Desmond Trufant

Another player continuing where he left off in 2013 is Desmond Trufant. He's easily the Falcons' best defensive player. He's hasn't been targeted often in coverage through the first four games, as he's just been thrown at 19 times according to Pro Football Focus.

He's only allowed 11 catches on those 19 targets and, outside of two long plays in zone coverage that went for 50 and 52 yards, has allowed just a 5.64 yards-per-target average. He also has three pass deflections that have helped the Falcons out when they needed it most.

The only real issue that Trufant has is his lack of interceptions. The Falcons need him to hold on to the ball when it's thrown directly at him in coverage. If he can do that, it would help the defense as a whole because it would get it off the field and rested, and it would allow the potent offense to score more points.

Breakout Player of the Quarter

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WR Devin Hester

Devin Hester as an offensive weapon was nothing in Chicago. The coaching staff there didn't know how to use him and didn't motivate him to take playing time the way he has in Atlanta. In Atlanta, he's a true offensive X-factor the Falcons didn't have the first six years of Matt Ryan's career.

Through four games, Hester has had the best offensive production of his career. He's had 12 catches for 196 yards and one touchdown, putting him on pace for 48 catches, 796 yards and four touchdowns. On the ground, he's run for 20 yards on his lone carry for a touchdown.

He's also having a great year as a return specialist. He averages over 15 yards per return on punts and over 25 yards per return on kicks. The Falcons haven't had someone who could do that since they lost Eric Weems after the 2011 season.

Comeback Player of the Quarter

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WR Julio Jones

In 2013, Julio Jones went down with a foot injury after he had caught 41 passes for 580 yards and two touchdowns. Thirty-three of those catches and 481 yards were through the first four games. He was also targeted 49 times in that time frame.

Through the first quarter of the 2014 season, he's been targeted just 41 times for 29 catches, 447 yards and three touchdowns. The Falcons have gotten back the player who was lost in 2013 and even have the ability to throw it deep to him more often as he leads the league in 20-plus-yard receptions with 11.

The Falcons have a great receiver in Jones. He's someone who could end up leading the league in yards, touchdowns and receptions once the Falcons make him the focal point of the offense. Having Devin Hester on the roster does open up the field even more with how Hester has broken out this year.

Rookie of the Quarter

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OT Jake Matthews

When rookie left tackles come in, it normally takes a season or two before they are completely effective. Jake Matthews is a special case. He's instantly solidified the left side of the Falcons line and been the best Falcon to play the position since Mike Kenn back in 1994.

Hopefully Matthews gives Atlanta the same 17-year career locking down the left side that Kenn gave them. As it sits right now, he's made the line improve from one that allowed two sacks, eight hits and 19 hurries from the left tackle spot in 2013 to one that's allowed just six hurries when he's been on the field.

By solidifying the left tackle spot in the Atlanta offensive line, the Falcons have an offense that leads the league in yardage and is second in scoring. That's not too shabby considering how bad their offense was in 2013 with the make-shift offensive line.

Most Improved Player of the Quarter

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

RT Lamar Holmes

Holmes is the Rodney Dangerfield among the Falcons fanbase. He still gets no respect. But that's OK—he's gone from total liability as a first-year starter at left tackle to one of the Falcons' better pass-blockers on the offensive line at right tackle.

The addition of Mike Tice has really made a big difference for Holmes. His run blocking did decline a tad, as he was adjusting to the new scheme. However, according to ProFootballFocus (subscription required), he was a solid run-blocker, allowing no sacks, one quarterback hit and nine quarterback pressures.

That's down from the two sacks, five hits and 16 pressures that he allowed through four games last season. The Falcons finally were getting the player they thought they drafted back in 2012. Holmes just needed to get used to the new run-blocking schemes.

Even with all of his improvement, Holmes' year will have a bitter ending to it. According to Atlanta's official website, he's on injured reserve for the rest of the season with a foot injury. He's going to have to show that he is just as good next season when he will likely compete with Sam Baker for the starting right tackle role in 2015.

All stats used are from Pro Football Focus' Premium Stats (subscription required), ESPN.com, CFBStats or NFL.com. All combine and pro day info is courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com. All contract information is courtesy of Spotrac and Rotoworld.

Scott Carasik is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He covers the Atlanta Falcons, college football, the NFL and the NFL draft. He also runs DraftFalcons.com.

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