Todd Gurley on Matt Ryan, Jared Goff's Similarities: 'They Rich as Hell'
Nov 9, 2020
Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley (21) runs against the Denver Broncos during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Having played the bulk of his career alongside Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff, Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley found at least one similarity between his old quarterback his new one, Matt Ryan.
Falcons RB Todd Gurley, on similarities between Matt Ryan and Jared Goff: "They rich as hell." Full interview coming up on PFT PM, on @peacockTV at 5 ET.
Ryan signed a five-year deal worth $150 million back in 2018, and the average annual value of $30 million made him the league's highest-paid player at the time, while Goff signed a monster four-year, $134 million deal last offseason.
On the other hand, Gurley's one-year deal with the Falcons is worth $5.5 million.
Perhaps money talks, as Ryan's Falcons are just 3-6, compared to the Goff and the Rams, who are 5-3.
Matt Ryan: I Can't Tell If Team Is 'Laughing at Me' in Rushing TD Celebration
Oct 30, 2020
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan warms up before an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan scored his first rushing touchdown of the season in Atlanta's 25-17 win over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night, and he openly wondered after the game if his teammates were teasing him during the celebration.
According to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Ryan said: "I can't tell if they're laughing at me or just having a good time and excited for it, but they're always good when we get them and I think guys get fired up by it showing that there's different ways to get the job done."
Matty Ice isn't known for being fleet of foot, but with the Falcons trailing 14-6 in the second quarter, the Panthers left him a ton of running room on the right side and he took advantage with a 13-yard scoring scamper:
That set off a huge celebration among the Falcons players due in part to the fact that the score brought Atlanta within one point of the Panthers, but also likely because of the rarity of Ryan taking off and scoring with his legs.
Even with the 13 yards he gained on the carry, Ryan has only 58 yards on 19 attempts for the entire season for a per-carry average of just over three yards.
Ryan, 35, is in 13th NFL season, but the four-time Pro Bowler and one-time NFL MVP has only 10 career rushing touchdowns to his credit. In fact, Ryan didn't record a single rushing score in five straight seasons from 2013 to 2017.
While most of the quarterbacks who reach the NFL now are capable of beating opposing defenses with their arm and their legs, Ryan is a more a product of an era that favored classic dropback passers.
Ryan didn't have one of his best passing games Thursday, with 281 yards, no touchdowns and one interception, but he put the Falcons in scoring position throughout the game and ensured the offense remained efficient—Atlanta punted only one time.
With the much-needed win, the Falcons are now 2-6 on the season. They remain last in the NFC South by one game behind the Panthers, but perhaps Atlanta can finally start to build some momentum in what was beginning to look like a lost season.
Considering that Atlanta went 6-2 down the stretch last season after starting 1-7, there may still be hope for the Falcons to salvage 2020.
NFL Power Rankings Week 8: Reaction and Standings After Thursday Night Football
Oct 30, 2020
Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo celebrates after a field goal with Jaeden Graham during the first half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
The Atlanta Falcons have shown significant improvements in three games under interim head coach Raheem Morris.
They moved to 2-1 under the 44-year-old Thursday night with a victory over the Carolina Panthers, who are now on a three-game losing streak.
The Falcons are still mired in the bottom third of overall team performance in the 2020 NFL season, but they deserve some credit for responding well to the firing of Dan Quinn on October 11.
Carolina is going through the expected growing pains under a first-year head coach, and it navigated Christian McCaffrey's injury absence as best as a team of its caliber could.
Even if the running back returns in Week 9, the Panthers could face plenty of difficulties against one of the league's best teams in the Kansas City Chiefs.
NFL Power Rankings
1. Pittsburgh (6-0)
2. Kansas City (6-1)
3. Baltimore (5-1)
4. Green Bay (5-1)
5. Seattle (5-1)
6. Tennessee (5-1)
7. Los Angeles Rams (5-2)
8. Tampa Bay (5-2)
9. Buffalo (5-2)
10. San Francisco (4-3)
11. Arizona (5-2)
12 Chicago (5-2)
13. Cleveland (5-2)
14. Indianapolis (4-2)
15. New Orleans (4-2)
16. Miami (3-3)
17. Philadelphia (2-4-1)
18. Las Vegas (3-3)
19. Detroit (3-3)
20. Los Angeles Chargers (2-4)
21. Carolina (3-5)
22. Denver (2-4)
23. New England (2-4)
24. Atlanta (2-6)
25. Washington (2-5)
26. Dallas (2-5)
27. Minnesota (1-5)
28. Cincinnati (1-5-1)
29. Houston (1-6)
30. Jacksonville (1-6)
31. New York Giants (1-6)
32. New York Jets (0-7)
Atlanta's 2-1 run under Morris came during one of the easiest patches of its schedule, when it defeated the one-win Minnesota Vikings and the under-.500 Panthers to climb out of the NFC basement.
As The MMQB's Albert Breer noted, the Falcons would be on a three-game winning streak had Todd Gurley not scored and handed the ball back to the Detroit Lions Sunday:
If not for Todd Gurley's brainlock last week, Raheem Morris would be 3-0 as Falcons coach. And the team legitimately looked good tonight.
Although the Falcons' play has improved, there are still some evident flaws, including their red-zone offense, which was criticized Thursday by ESPN's Matthew Berry.
In a crazy insane year where there are unthinkable and never imagined things happening every single day it’s nice to know you can at least count on the Falcons red zone offense to be terrible.
The reality of Atlanta's situation is it responded as well as a team could to a coaching change and has moved out of the bottom tier of franchises that have little hope for the 2020 season.
That also means the Falcons are likely out of the running for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft since it seems unlikely the New York Jets will string two wins together.
Atlanta will still take some lumps in the coming weeks with games against New Orleans and Las Vegas out of the Week 10 bye. It finishes with three of four games on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City and Tampa Bay.
Carolina faces the unfortunate matchup with the Chiefs in Week 9, which may dampen the potential return of McCaffrey. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday that "the sense is he will be ready" by next Sunday.
Panthers officially did not activate RB Christian McCaffrey off Injured Reserve by today’s 4 p.m. deadline, meaning he’s ineligible to play tonight vs. the Falcons. McCaffrey’s next chance to play will be Nov. 8 at Kansas City and the sense is that he’ll be ready then.
Even if the 24-year-old is in the lineup, Carolina faces a steep challenge at Arrowhead Stadium. The Panthers would need to play a perfect game and for the Chiefs to make some mistakes to win that contest.
A complete performance would be a step up from Thursday, as Teddy Bridgewater admitted the team needs to be better finishing out close games, per The Athletic'sJoe Person:
Teddy Bridgewater: "Tough loss. We've gotta find ways to finish these games. That can't be the common thing around here."
Carolina now has a three-game winning streak and losing streak from the last six games in Matt Rhule's first season as head coach. But the losing run could be extended with Kansas City and Tampa Bay next on the schedule.
The Buccaneers are headed in the right direction after pummeling Green Bay and Las Vegas in back-to-back weeks, and they should look even better Monday night against the New York Giants.
Tampa Bay and Green Bay, which hosts Minnesota, could be the top candidates to move up in the Week 9 rankings ahead of the loser of the Baltimore-Pittsburgh matchup and possibly Seattle, if it falls to San Francisco.
Matt Ryan, Falcons Hold off Teddy Bridgewater, Panthers to Improve to 2-6
Oct 29, 2020
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan passes against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
While the 2020 season has gone anything but according to plan for the Atlanta Falcons, they can at least take solace knowing they can still beat the Carolina Panthers.
Atlanta defeated its NFC South rival 25-17 in Thursday's showdown at Bank of America Stadium and prevented the Panthers from sweeping the season series for the first time since 2013. Although Carolina won the first matchup this year, the Falcons are an impressive 9-2 in their last 11 meetings.
Matt Ryan and the defense led the way in the latest one, helping their team improve to a disappointing 2-6 overall but a solid 2-1 in the last three games. Blidi Wreh-Wilson's interception in the final minute clinched the win.
As for the 3-5 Panthers, they are trending away from the NFC playoff picture following a third consecutive loss.
Teddy Bridgewater, QB, CAR: 15-of-23 for 176 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 5 carries for 30 yards
Curtis Samuel, WR, CAR: 3 carries for 23 yards, 1 TD; 4 catches for 31 yards, 1 TD
Falcons Finally Prevail Down the Stretch
The Falcons have seemingly invented new ways to lose this season.
They blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter to the Dallas Cowboys in large part because they failed to recover an onside kick. They blew a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter to the Chicago Bears after Nick Foles came into the game and looked like Joe Montana.
And the last loss against the Detroit Lions was perhaps the worst when Todd Gurley accidentally scored a touchdown instead of running out the clock for a game-ending field goal before Matthew Stafford answered with a winning touchdown drive on the ensuing possession.
The Falcons getting in their own way was a theme in Thursday's game as well, as they converted just one of their four first-half red-zone opportunities into a touchdown.
With 108 receiving yards tonight (and counting), Julio Jones has passed Torry Holt (12,660) for the 2nd-most receiving yards by a player in his first 10 seasons in NFL history
Jerry Rice (13,275) is now the only player ahead of Jones (12,680) on that list
While Ryan picked apart Carolina's zone with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley—until the latter left with an ankle injury—he needed his legs to finally find the end zone in the first half. The touchdown run at least made up for his interception to Donte Jackson, but Atlanta's inability to convert opportunities allowed the Panthers to remain within striking distance.
Things picked up right where they left off in the second half with the visitors settling for a field goal on their first possession after entering the red zone. It was great for Younghoe Koo's fantasy value but not for putting away a team they were largely outplaying.
Everything seemed to be setting up for another late loss, but the offense finally broke through in the fourth quarter on a Gurley rushing touchdown. Fittingly, Koo missed the extra point to keep the lead at eight, but the defense bailed him out with the interception to win it.
It has not been a season to remember, but the team at least has some momentum under interim coach Raheem Morris.
Panthers Offense Disappears in Second Half
There was some speculation that Christian McCaffrey would play in Thursday's game since hereturnedto the practice field this week, but he remained sidelined with the ankle injury he suffered in the second game of the season.
That put the onus on the other playmakers, and it was the Curtis Samuel show in the early going.
Carolina marched right down the field on its first possession with Mike Davis picking up yardage between the tackles, but it was Samuel who capped it off with a touchdown run. The Ohio State product found the end zone again when he hauled in a beautifully placed 29-yard strike over multiple defenders from Teddy Bridgewater on a flea-flicker.
Curtis Samuel does the Thriller dance after scoring a TD 👻
His versatility spearheaded Carolina's initial attack, especially with the Falcons so preoccupied with countering Robby Anderson and DJ Moore.
Things took a turn for the worse in the second half, though, as Davis was stuffed on a fourth down, Bridgewater temporarily exited following a late hit by defensive end Charles Harris—who was ejected—and a brilliant fake punt led to only a field goal.
The Panthers haven't forced a punt since October 13 (it is currently Oct 29) and just punted at midfield down eight points in the fourth quarter against a bottom five defense.
That field goal was all the Panthers put on the board the entire second half.
It is a credit to Carolina's bend-but-don't-break defense—and Atlanta's familiar mistakes—that it had one more opportunity in the final minutes down eight, but the offense again failed to come through for a team that is headed in the wrong direction.
What's Next?
Both teams face AFC foes in Week 9 when the Panthers are at the Kansas City Chiefs and the Falcons host the Denver Broncos.
Video Reveals Falcons' Matt Ryan Warned Todd Gurley Not to Score TD vs. Lions
Oct 28, 2020
Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley (21) scores a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan told running back Todd Gurley multiple times not to score on a late handoff as the offense tried to run out the clock against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
Footage from Inside the NFL shows Ryan in the huddle instructing Gurley to get the first down and then slide before reaching the end zone as the running back nods his head in agreement.
At that point, the Falcons trailed 16-14 with just over a minute left. The club needed to simply run the clock down and kick a field goal when Gurley broke the plane of the end zone on a 10-yard run. A two-point conversion gave Atlanta a 22-16 lead but also gave the ball back to the Lions.
Detroit used the next 1:04 of game time to run eight plays and march 75 yards downfield where tight end T.J. Hockenson cashed in on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford. Matt Prater's point-after attempt sealed the 23-22 victory for Detroit with no time remaining.
It was an epic gaffe from the veteran Gurley, who tried to slow his momentum before reaching the goal line but couldn't stop himself from scoring. Instead of picking up their second win of the season, Atlanta dropped to 1-6 with the loss as Detroit moved to 3-3 on the year.
With the NFL trade deadline fast approaching, a number of teams in the bottom tier of the league standings are making headlines in the rumor mill...
Matt Ryan Discusses Trade Rumors Amid Falcons Struggles: 'I Want to Be Here'
Oct 26, 2020
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) works against the Detroit Lions during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Matt Ryan's long-term future as the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback is no longer secure, but he's making it clear he wants to stick around the only NFL home he's ever known.
"I don't worry about noise outside of our building. ... I want to be here and hopefully that will be the case," Ryan told reporters Monday.
The overwhelming odds are that Ryan will be the Falcons' starter through at least the 2021 season. Releasing or trading the 2016 NFL MVP would result in a $49.9 million dead cap charge—an exorbitant sum made even more jarring by the likelihood the cap will go down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Falcons owner Arthur Blanktold reportersRyan's future will be determined by the team's next general manager:
"I love Matt, much like I love Dan, I love Thomas. Matt's been a franchise leader for us, great quarterback; one of the leading quarterbacks in the last 13 years in the NFL. I hope he's going to be part of our plans going forward. But that will be a decision that I won't make.
"Matt has the ability to play at a very high level, even at this age. Whether that's going to continue or not, I'm not sure. I appreciate his willingness to consider doing that and the level at what he's played for us for 13 years, which has been incredible. So we'll have to see. But then again, that's going to be a decision, at the end of the day, that part of it will be up to the player; part of it will be up to the coaching staff. And whether or not Matt can keep himself together. God willing, he'll be able to do that and play at the level that he's capable of playing at."
While not an MVP-caliber player, Ryan is still a capable NFL starter. He leads the NFL with 2,181 passing yards and 12 touchdowns against three interceptions. There are several reasons the Falcons are a dismal 1-6, but Ryan is nowhere near the top of that list.
It's likely the next regime will want to build around someone younger than the 35-year-old Ryan, but he'd have value for a team looking to get over the postseason hump. Any deal will probably just have to wait until after the 2021 season.
With Halloween right around the corner and the NFL trade deadline rapidly approaching on November 3, there is plenty of opportunity for superstar players to escape scary or horrifying situations...
Rapoport: Julio Jones, Matt Ryan, Sam Darnold Won't Be Traded by Falcons, Jets
Oct 25, 2020
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) lines up against Minnesota Vikings cornerback Jeff Gladney (20) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
While there will be some notable players on the move ahead of the Week 8 NFL trade deadline, some of the biggest names in the rumor mill are expected to stay put.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, along with the New York Jets' Sam Darnold, are expected to stay with their current teams.
A trade of Ryan and Jones would have brought about a full-scale rebuild for the Falcons, while the Jets haven't yet signaled they're willing to give up on Darnold as their quarterback of the future.
The Falcons' lack of movement ahead of the deadline should not come as a surprise. They fired coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff earlier this month and are expected to undergo a search for new leadership this offseason. Decisions about the futures of Ryan and Jones should be made by the new front office.
"If somebody came to us with a trade for a player and it made sense to us—it was in that player's best interest, our best interest and we could do it—would we consider it? Maybe. That's something we would look at," team CEO Rich McKay told reporters earlier this month. "But this will not be a situation where we're going to predetermine the roster for the next head coach and general manager. We're going to let them come in, let them evaluate this roster, let them see the moves they want to make.''
It is highly unlikely either Jones or Ryan is heading anywhere until after the 2021 season at the earliest. Trading or releasing Ryan would result in a$49.9 milliondead cap charge next year, while doing the same for Jones would lead to a$38.6 million charge. Getting rid of both would represent a near-impossible level of cap strain.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported teams have been told "in no uncertain terms" Ryan and Jones are off the table.
Darnold has had flashes of brilliance but has been saddled with some of the worst skill position talent and coaching in the sport since his 2018 debut. It's not entirely clear how much of his struggles are his fault, and how much lie on incompetence in the front office and from coach Adam Gase. Teams would certainly be interested in buying low in Darnold and potentially installing him as a backup for the remainder of this season under a stable veteran, but the Jets likely want to see what they have before moving on.
Assuming the team's downward trajectory continues, Darnold will almost certainly be moved this offseason so the Jets can take Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields at the top of April's draft. If Darnold flashes in the second half of last season, however, it remains possible the Jets could instead keep him as their starter and look to fortify their roster elsewhere.
