Atlanta Falcons: 1st Half Report Card for Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan has improved every season since the start of his pro career. This year we have seen the face of the Atlanta Falcons struggle at times, but still maintain his composure enough to lead this team to a positive record.

At 4-3, the Falcons are off pace from last season, but they have looked much better in their last two games. After a bye in Week 8, Ryan will have had plenty of time to take a look at the key areas he needs to improve on. Let's take a look at some of his grades from the first half. Keep in mind that some of the grades may be a little harsh considering he's coming off a 28 touchdown, nine interception season.

Accuracy: B-

Ryan is currently completing 61.1 percent of his passes, the same number he put up in his rookie year. He only threw nine picks all of last season, but has eight in seven games in 2011. That's not exactly what everyone was expecting after he led the Dirty Birds to a 13-3 season. 

Some of his passes have been completely abysmal. I know he is flushed out of the pocket and pressured a lot, no one is denying the fact that the offensive line has been sub-par. However, some of his throws have really sailed at times, leaving us watching wondering, "What happened there?"

Arm Strength: C+

Ryan gets a ton of criticism about his lack of arm strength. I've defended him for a long time, but I'm starting to give in a little to all the talk. He averages 6.68 yards per throw, 26th lowest in the league. Atlanta's offense doesn't ask him to throw downfield a lot, but when he does it hasn't really worked out.

They signed Julio Jones to bring in some explosiveness and provide a deep threat, but all of the long shots Ryan has taken for Jones haven't produced much. Jones leads the team with five catches of 20+ yards, which ranks way down on the list among all wide receivers.

Leadership: A

This is one aspect we can always count on him for. Ryan knows how to lead this team, especially in the tight games. In their Sunday night game against the Eagles, Ryan led the team to victory in the fourth quarter, and had a career-high four touchdown passes.

Atlanta can always depend on this guy. He's been a proven leader over the past three seasons, and will continue to fill the role in the future.

Poise: A-

No matter what the situation, Ryan seems to be able to maintain his composure. He had his ankle stepped on by his own lineman in the game against Detroit. He left the game, went to the locker room and came right back to lead the team to another win. You have to love seeing that out of your quarterback.

He has been on the run constantly throughout the first half of the season, but Ryan has been able to make plays with all the pressure around him. Occasionally he will get erratic with his passes, but he manages to stabilize his performance most of the time. Imagine what he could do with some better blocking.

Overall: B

I like what Matt Ryan has been able to do this year, but we all want to see more out of him. If he can limit the interceptions and start connecting on some of those deep throws, this team will have a solid second half of the season. Luckily, he'll take on the Colts coming out of the bye week. Indianapolis ranks 22nd in pass defense. Look for Ryan to have a big day after plenty of preparation.