January 28th 2017
Saturday Morning Edition
Saturday Morning Coffee
Every Saturday morning it’s time to pour a cup of Joe and discuss the more sports news, rumors, and topics from around the world of sports from this fan’s perspective. Comment if you like, post a question, this is your forum to speak your mind.
Matt Ryan has Arrived
Myth or Fact.
So Matt ryan’s elevation of play and MVP talk this season should not come as much of a surprise. His arrival has been a long time coming, so this is not much of a rumor or new information for discussion, but I would certainly agree this could be up for debate.
Matt Ryan has been a solid quarterback throughout his career and this season he’s elevated his play to that next level. Is this an anomaly or a trend? Is this a result of great coaching? Or is this a result of having all the pieces?
Some might say, well he has Julio Jones, arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL today. Maybe so, but Tom Brady had Randy Moss and he didn’t win the Super Bowl. Having a elite pass catcher does not define a quarterbacks greatness. Some might credit Kyle Shanahan’s brilliance as an Offensive coordinator. Kyle has been a difference maker yes.
But I would credit all three.
I am not going to post all kinds of numbers and cite a lot of statistics, but they are there for the research and undeniable.
It is my opinion from watching a lot of the Falcons this season, that Ryan has taken that next step. We have seen his play in the past and he’s capable of big numbers; his six straight seasons of passing for more than 4,000 yards display that fact.
What has been different about Ryan the past several seasons and what he displayed this season is his passing accuracy and command of the offense. Remember, he’s been doing this since 2011, but this is only Shanahan’s second season with the Falcons, and yes Kyle’s infulence can be seen in Ryan’s meteoric numbers.
Add the final pieces that have taken Ryan to the next level; a loaded backfield (Devonta Freemen and Tevin Coleman), the superstar receiver (Jones), and a couple of nice complementary pieces (Taylor Gabriel and Mohamed Sanu) to complete the set.
Shanahan and the Falcons have done of great job of finding the right talent and utilizing what they have to it’s fullest potential. And Ryan has been the most responsible for the execution and the Falcons offense blossoming into one of the most effective and prolific scoring machines fans have seen since the Rams “Greatest Show on Turf.”
Other teams can boast similar talents and playmakers, but Ryan has not only elevated his own play, but he’s carried a lot of the talent around him to their next level; passing touchdowns to 13 different players this season. The result has been a magical season for the Falcons and the arrival of the next elite quarterback in the NFL.
In the fantasy football arena, we talk about Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees, being on one level, but after what we have seen Ryan pull this season (4,944 yards passing, 38 touchdowns, 69.9% completions) he has to be part of the conversation.
In the real world, it’s his play in the playoffs that warrant his consideration as an elite passer; when he’s all done, his resume will say plenty about where he belongs.
Ryan looks to be the odds-on favorite to win the MVP this season with his career numbers and Super Bowl run. A win on the big stage will only put an exclamation point on his arrival. His postseason performances this season have more than cemented his name amongst the elite quarterbacks.
Taking a closer look at what he has done in the playoffs this season (730 yards passing, 7 touchdowns, no picks) should be enough to argue his seat among the best, but I would have to believe some would like to see him hoist the Lombardi to justify his spot.
I am not making any early predictions, but a Falcons victory is not so far fetched. Ryan has been the general of the Falcons offense and he’s been hitting on all cylinders this season, especially in the playoffs. I don’t see anything on the other side to say to me he won’t have similar success.
I’m sure a win on Super Bowl Sunday will end all doubt and place Ryan’s name with the best in the league, but win or lose his performance will speak volumes.
Matty Ice has waited 9 seasons to reach this pinnacle. And for us football fans and fantasy fanatics, we’ll have to wait another 8 days to see the conclusion of this chapter and the completion of Matt Ryan’s rise to the level of the NFL’s elite passers.
That’s Just My Take
~David G Ortega
January 11th, 2017
Wednesday late evening Edition
Wednesday Watercooler: Part 1
Every Wednesday it’s time to gather around the Watercooler and discuss the more football news, rumors, and topics from around the NFL from this fan’s perspective. Comment if you like, post a question, this is your forum to speak your mind.
Next Up Divisional Playoffs
It’s that time of year and as a football fan, excited is an understatement. I am a big sports fan, but with the NFL playoffs underway, that is the hot topic on the table. Last weekend there were no surprises, at least not from this fan’s perspective; I went 4-0 with my picks as all home teams were victorious. This weekend, that feat may prove to be much more difficult. With the top 4 teams from the byes set to host this round of games, picking road teams could be unwise.
In the AFC, the big dog this weekend is the New England Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady. With only 12 games under his belt this season, Brady was among the hottest quarterbacks down the stretch; his last 7 starts, 16 touchdowns with one interception. Brady, with 4 Lombardi trophies has proven to be among the greatest ever under center, he’s at home this weekend, so it’s hard to pick against him and the Pats. So I won’t.
The Patriots have just been too good for so long, Tom Terrific and company appear to be locked on a mission to reach yet another AFC title game. Their opponents the Texans are just going to be in the wrong place at the wrong time come Saturday night.
The matchup doesn’t have the makeup of a barn-burner, but Brady and the Patriots make so few mistakes, as the game moves into the later phases the efficiency of the Patriots offense will force the Texans into taking more risks and likely make mistakes. This one could eventually get away from O’Brien and company.
The early matchup has a lot of my interest, simply because no one is talking about the Atlanta Falcons, yet quarterback Matt Ryan has to be considered an MVP candidate this season. Quiet comes the Ice-man.
The Falcons and Seahawks could be the barn-burner some of us fans enjoy and are looking forward too. The Falcons have the weapons with wide receiver Julio Jones and their two-back committee with Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Let’s face the Seahawks defense is not quote the same as it used to be, especially away from Centurylink Field.
Ryan and company earned the bye this season and will enjoy some home cooking on Saturday when they take the field at the Georgia Dome. This could be a huge difference in this matchup. Back in their week 6 battle with the Seahawks the Falcons fell short by two points, but in that contest Ryan passed for 335 yards passing and three touchdowns. One big key for Ryan was his favorite weapon (Julio) Jones, who posted a 7 catch (on 9 targets), 139 yards receiving, and a touchdown.
A couple of new catalysts that could prove to be huge in this matchup is the arrival of Falcons wide receiver Taylor Gabriel and the return of running back Tevin Coleman. In Gabriel’s last 8 games he posted 27 receptions for 472 yards and six touchdowns. Coming back from injury, Coleman has been a scoring machine recording 5 touchdowns in his last six games.
The Seahawks will have some weapons to boast on Saturday as well with quarterback Russell Wilson, tight end Jimmy Graham, running back Thomas Rawls, and wide receiver Doug Baldwin, but they may have trouble matching the firepower the Falcons will be rolling out.
If this game were played in Seattle, I would likely sing a different tune, but I see both defenses bending quite a bit in this one with the Falcons offense doing more damage. Not to take anything away from Wilson and company, but Ryan (4,944 yards passing, 38 touchdowns, 7 interceptions in 2016) has just been cool as ice this season.
These are my picks for Saturday’s contests....(to be continued)
January 2nd, 2017
Monday morning Edition
Monday Morning Huddle
Every Monday morning let’s huddle up and discuss the latest football news, rumors, and events from around the NFL from this fan’s perspective. Comment if you like, post a question, this is your forum to speak your mind.
Super Bowl Favorites
They have survived 17 weeks of gridiron action, 12 teams have made it to week 18, but who is the favorite to make it all the way to Super Sunday and hold up the Lombardi trophy? With the NFL regular season concluding yesterday, 12 teams have claimed their stake at a Super bowl championship, but which teams have a legitimate shot at Super success in the postseason.
Let’s start with the NFC. The Detroit Lions are a long shot to make it to the big dance having to go on the road to play Seattle. Their best chances were lost yesterday when they fell to the Packers. Looking over the six teams competing; Cowboys, Falcons, Packers, Seahawks, Giants, and Lions, the anchors in this bracket have to be the Cowboys and Packers.
The Cowboys have the formula for success with that offensive line. Dominating time-of-possession, controling the clock and dictating game flow takes so much pressure off the defense and makes it better. The Cowboys have a prolific running game, a mistake free quarterback, with a balanced defense that is tough versus the run (ranked 1st in the NFL) and does a pretty good job against the pass. Playing at home (7-1 this season) throughout the playoffs will undoubtedly make the Cowboys a tough out for everyone.
If there is an NFC team that might pose a real threat to the Cowboys, it has to be the Aaron Rodgers led Packers. Over the past two months few have been as hot as Rodgers, who has led the Pack to six straight wins and another NFC North title. During the win streak Rodgers numbers are off the charts; 278 yards passing/game, 110 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns (15 pass, 1 rush), and no interceptions. The defense could be a liability heading into the postseason, but with Rodgers under center and healthy the Packers are going to be a very tough out in the NFC (even on the road).
The Falcons may be a bit overlooked here and with Matt Ryan calling the signals they always have a chance, but where they he may fall short is on the other side of the ball. Their defense is one of the lowest ranked heading into the postseason and I am not confident they can just hope to outscore their opponents.
The Giants and Seahawks will present problems with their defense, but they have had too many issues with inconsistency on offense this season. It’s hard to imagine either team making a run that rolls through Dallas or Atlanta. Both are capable no question, but it’s a tough task to ask and chances are slim.
Over in the AFC, it’s that time of year to once again jump on the Tom Brady and New England Patriots bandwagon. How can you not like the Patriots chances with Brady under center. Since his return, Brady has been prolific leading the Patriots to an 11-1 record, including seven straight wins. During the run Brady has led the Pats to 28 points per game by throwing 16 touchdowns with only one interception. With homefield advantage throughout the Playoffs, the Pats would appear to have the inside track to Super Sunday.
While all of the AFC participants (Chiefs, Raiders, Texans, and Dolphins) have a legitimate shot, just one stands out like a real threat in my opinion; the Steelers. The defense is not the newly resurrected Steel Curtain, but during their seven game win streak the defense has allowed just 17 points per game while recording 25 sacks and 13 turnovers.
The Steelers defense is playing well, but their wild-card has always been quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the offense. With super weapons like wide receiver Antonio Brown (106 receptions, 1,284 yards receiving, 12 touchdowns) and running back LeVeon Bell (1,268 yards rushing, 75 receptions, 616 yards receiving) the Steelers are going to pose a lot of matchup problems for opponents throughout the playoffs.
If I am going to make predictions, I like Rodgers and the Packers traveling to Dallas in the NFC Championship, while Big Ben and the Steelers will make the trip to Foxboro to meet the Patriots. For the Super matchup on Super Bowl Sunday, I am putting my money on the two best quarterbacks in the league to meet; Rodgers versus Brady, the Packers and the Patriots.
This is just conjecture and speculation, but this is my take for the Superbowl favorites.
~David G. Ortega
