Matt Ryan Says Current Falcons Offense 'Right Up There' with 2012 Squad

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said Wednesday the team's offensive talent is on par with the star-studded group that helped lead the organization to the 2012 NFC Championship Game.

Ryan discussed the current weapons at this disposal, led by one of the NFL's best wide receiver duos in Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, compared to that 2012 roster during an appearance on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast (via Will McFadden of the Falcons' official website):

"We had a pretty good unit in 2012 with Roddy White, Julio Jones, Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez—those guys were all pretty good. I've got to imagine that this is right up there with them.

"You're talking about Julio in his prime, Calvin Ridley going into year three coming into his own. You've got Todd Gurley, who is hungry who wants to prove it this year. Hayden Hurst, another guy, first-round draft pick who just ended up in a spot where, the way they were running the football, it was no fault of his own [that he didn't have the stats]."

Atlanta is coming off a disappointing 2019 season that saw the club miss the playoffs with a 7-9 record.

The offense remained effective, however, ranking fifth in yards per game (379.7) and third in passing yards (294.6) thanks in large part to the trio of Ryan, Jones and Ridley.

Devonta Freeman was the team's leading rusher at 656 yards, though. So the front office signed Gurley, the 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, with the hope he could bounce back after lingering knee issues plagued his final few years with the Los Angeles Rams.

The Falcons acquired Hurst in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens to replace Austin Hooper, who signed a four-year, $42 million contract with the Cleveland Browns in free agency.

A full-strength Gurley is an upgrade over Turner, who earned two Pro Bowl selections but averaged just 3.6 yards per carry during the 2012 season. That said, Hurst can't quite match Gonzalez, who posted 93 catches for 930 yards and eight touchdowns in the penultimate season of his career.

All told, it's a fair overall comparison, though Ridley is still on a proving ground compared to White, a member of the team's Ring of Honor.

"It's got to be right up there, I think so," Ryan told Long about the current Falcons offense. "I've been lucky, I've had some great guys that I've played with."

Atlanta's outlook is still dependent on improvement on the other side of the ball, though. It ranked 20th in total defense (355.8 yards allowed per game) during the 2019 campaign.

The Falcons used their first two draft picks on defensive players, selecting Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell and Auburn defensive tackle Marlon Davidson, and signed defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency.

Their high-powered offense paired with the upgrades on defense give them a great chance to post a bounce-back season, though playing in the stacked NFC South may limit their record's upside.