Matt Ryan

It was the first time since 2000 that only one quarterback was picked in the first two rounds – Kenny Pickett to the Pittsburgh Steelers at pick 20 – with Ridder's selection coming 10 picks into the third round.

In his senior season, Ridder had 3334 yards with 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 14 games, leading the Cincinnati Bearcats to an undefeated 13-0 record before losing in the playoff semi-final to powerhouse Alabama.

It was the first time a school outside of the 'Power Five' conferences had made the College Football Playoff since its inception in the 2014-15 season.

For the Falcons, there is a glaring need at quarterback after shipping Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts, and Ridder will get a chance to compete with Marcus Mariota for the role of week one starter.

Things can hardly get much worse than in 2020, when the Falcons slumped to a 4-12 record, with head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff fired after an 0-5 start. 

Smith's arrival will foster optimism the offense can scale new heights in 2021, the former Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator having played a pivotal role in revitalising Ryan Tannehill's career.  

But he and new GM Terry Fontenot have some significant decisions to make in a challenging offseason if their partnership is to hit the ground running in 2021. 

Using Stats Perform data, we reflect on the year that was for the Falcons and look at what they will need to do to improve on a rather forgettable campaign. 

Offense 

You will find few quarterbacks who experienced more frustrating seasons than Matt Ryan, who continued to serve as one of the most productive signal-callers in the NFL in 2020. 

He was fourth in the NFL in passing yards with 4,581 and was tied seventh in big plays, delivering 32 completions of 25 yards or more. 

The big-play element that was clearly present in the Falcons' offense contributed to them finishing the year ninth in scoring efficiency. 

Despite Ryan's performances in leading a prolific group, the Falcons never threatened to contend. 

On the offensive side of the ball, the running game should take a large portion of the blame for that failure.

The Falcons were not a balanced offense, with Atlanta averaging just 3.75 yards per run play. The Pittsburgh Steelers (3.62) were the sole team to fare worse on the ground.

Atlanta's 34 rushes of 10 yards or more were tied for 30th in the NFL, the production from running backs Todd Gurley and Brian Hill not living up to that of Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones in the passing game.

Ridley was tied-fifth in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,374 while no pass-catcher had more than his 23 receptions of 20 yards or more.

While the running game needs to improve, the primary reason for the stellar efforts of Ryan and Ridley being wasted was the dismal play of a porous defense.

Defense

Worryingly for a Falcons franchise that invested a great deal in the defense in last year's draft, opponents moved the ball and scored on Atlanta at will in 2020. 

Atlanta ranked 23rd in offensive points allowed, giving up 414, with opposing passing games racking up 7.18 yards per play against the Falcons. 

Just three teams - the Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings - were more susceptible to the pass by that measure. 

The Falcons will hope for better out of last year's first-round pick A.J. Terrell, who was consistently exploited by quarterbacks and receivers in a trying rookie season. 

Terrell was targeted 95 times, the fourth-most of any player in the league, and gave up the third-most receptions (64) and joint-most yards (848).

In addition to the secondary struggling, the defensive front did not produce the desired pressure on opposing signal-callers, Atlanta finishing tied-23rd with 29 sacks.

The run defense was a little more of a bright spot, the Falcons 14th in yards per rush allowed with 4.41.

But the fact they still gave up 49 touchdown drives, the joint-eighth most in the league, despite their relative strength against the run, is indicative of the ground game's decreasing influence on offensive production and the issues in the secondary.

Simply put, for the Falcons to have a chance of even challenging the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints in the NFC South, the pass defense must make significant strides. The problem, however, is that the Falcons do not have a great deal of resources with which to make sure it does that.

Offseason

There is increasing talk of the Falcons using the fourth overall pick in this year's draft to select Ryan's successor, with Ohio State's Justin Fields, a native of Georgia, a popular choice for them in mock drafts.

Having the option to rid themselves of Ryan's contract, which will see him carry cap hits of over $40million in 2021 and 2022, and instead start a rookie on a significantly cheaper deal, is something that should appeal to the Falcons.

But, regardless of the merits of Smith as a play-caller and the talent the Falcons have on offense, Fields or any other eventual replacement for Ryan will not be set up for success until the Falcons fix the defense.

The issue in that regard is the Falcons are set to be over $12m above an assumed salary cap of $185m.

That may prohibit them from keeping many of the 11 unrestricted free agents they have on defense, or aggressively pursuing potential signings on that side of the ball.

Compensatory picks are still to be revealed, but the Falcons are at present set to have just six selections in the 2021 NFL Draft.

If they do go with a quarterback in the first round, 2021 will likely be Ryan's last as a Falcon. And, should Atlanta prove unable to use their remaining capital to sufficiently improve the defense, the smart money will be on it being another of frustration for the quarterback who came agonisingly close to delivering the franchise its first Super Bowl crown.

According to multiple reports, the Colts will send a third-round pick to the Falcons in exchange for the 2016 MVP.

It comes after the Colts parted with Carson Wentz, whom they acquired last year, after just one season, trading him to the Washington Commanders in a deal that saw the two franchises swap second-round picks and Indianapolis acquire a pair of third-rounders.

The Colts are viewed by many as having a roster ready to challenge for a deep playoff run, yet their inability to find an answer at quarterback following Andrew Luck's shock retirement in 2019 has prevented Indianapolis from reaching such heights.

Philip Rivers helped them to the playoffs in the 2020 season but retired after one year with Indianapolis. It was hoped Wentz's past relationship with Colts head coach Frank Reich would revitalise his career, yet a dismal end to the 2021 campaign in which they missed the playoffs after a blowout loss to the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18 helped convince Indianapolis to move on swiftly.

Ryan appears to have a much better chance of proving to be the solution for the Colts. Though Atlanta missed the playoffs last year with a 7-10 record, Ryan completed 67 per cent of his passes, his highest completion rate since 2018, for 3,968 yards and 20 touchdowns. He did, however, throw 12 interceptions.

He remains a very accurate quarterback, delivering a well-thrown ball on 80.7 per cent of his throws in 2021, according to Stats Perform data, tied for the sixth-best rate among QBs with at least 200 attempts.

No player in the NFL has thrown for more passing yards than Ryan's 59,735 since he entered the NFL as a first-round pick of the Falcons in 2008.

Prior to 2021, Ryan threw for 4,000 yards in 10 consecutive seasons, the high point coming in 2016 when he led the Falcons to the Super Bowl.

He threw for a career-high 4,944 receiving yards, averaging 9.3 yards per attempt, 38 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.

However, that season ended in bitter defeat as the Falcons gave up a 28-3 lead in their Super Bowl LI loss to the New England Patriots. The Falcons have won just one playoff game since.

Given his achievements, a third-round pick seems like scant compensation for the 36-year-old, with the Falcons agreeing to a trade that will see them incur the largest dead cap hit in NFL history ($40.52million).

The Falcons, who decided against taking a quarterback with the fourth overall pick in last year's draft, are believed to be interested in signing former second overall pick Marcus Mariota as an immediate replacement for Ryan. Malik Willis, one of the top quarterbacks in the 2022 class, was born in Atlanta and could be a developmental option for the Falcons with the eighth pick in this year's draft.

Atlanta had been interested in Deshaun Watson even before dealing Ryan, but he instead joined the Cleveland Browns in a trade with the Houston Texans.

The Colts are benching Ryan and will start Sam Ehlinger for Sunday's game against the Washington Commanders.

Ryan has a Grade 2 shoulder strain, but his demotion has nothing to do with the injury, as coach Frank Reich said turning the offense over to Ehlinger would have happened anyway regardless of Ryan's health.

"Right now the move is for Sam to be the starter for the rest of the season," Reich said, via the Colts' website.

Acquired from the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason, Ryan surpassed Hall of Famer Dan Marino for the seventh-most passing yards in NFL history earlier this season, but the 15-year veteran leads the NFL with 11 fumbles and nine interceptions.

He threw a pair of interceptions – one of which was returned 76 yards for a touchdown – in Sunday's 19-10 loss to Tennessee, which dropped the Colts to 3-3-1 and 1.5 games behind the Titans for first place in the AFC South.

On the season, Ryan ranks fourth in the NFL in passing yards (2,008) but 20th in QB rating (84.7) and 22nd in yards per attempt (6.76).

A sixth-round pick by the Colts in the 2021 draft, Ehlinger has yet to take a snap this season and has yet to throw a pass in the NFL. As a backup last season, he appeared on just three offensive plays.

The 24-year-old takes over an offense that ranks 17th in total yards (341.6 per game) and 29th in scoring (16.1 points per game).

In an ugly offensive showing, the teams combined for 12 punts, six fumbles and four interceptions, heading into halftime with a 6-3 Broncos lead thanks to a pair of Brandon McManus field goals. 

The Broncos had a chance to run out the clock and ice the game, but instead called a pass play, with quarterback Russell Wilson throwing his second interception of the game to keep the Colts alive.

They would march down the field for a Chase McLaughlin field goal with five seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 9-9 and force overtime, and he would kick his fourth field goal of the night in overtime to take the lead.

Needing a field goal to extend the game or a touchdown to win it, the Broncos finally mounted a strong drive with long completions to Melvin Gordon and Jerry Jeudy to move into the redzone. When presented with a fourth-and-one on the five-yard line, they went for it instead of kicking another field goal to tie, and failed to convert a pass into the endzone.

It was a miserable day for both quarterbacks as their offensive lines struggled to keep them upright, with the Broncos sacking Matt Ryan six times while Wilson absorbed four sacks of his own. Ryan finished up completing 26 of 41 passes for 251 yards and two interceptions, while Wilson completed 21 of 39 for 274 yards and two interceptions.

Defensively, Caden Sterns had both interceptions for the Broncos, while teammate Bradley Chubb had two-and-a-half sacks, but Colts cornerback and former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore proved to be the game-winner.

Gilmore secured the crucial interception to give the Colts a chance, and was then credited with his second pass break-up on the final play of the game to deny the Broncos the winning touchdown.

Ryan was Atlanta's starter from being taken with the third overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft until he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts last month.

The 2016 NFL MVP missed only three games in 14 years, with only two players – Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby (225) and Baltimore Ravens punter Sam Koch (223) – playing more than his 222 games in that time.

But Ryan is now 36 and last year failed to pass 4,000 passing yards in a season for the first time since 2010, despite the 17-game schedule.

The Falcons have not played a playoff game since 2017, and Blank felt it was time to reset.

"It has nothing to do with how much we appreciate or love Matt, which we do both," he said, as quoted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "But you know there has to be a long-term plan.

"We have to get ready for the next 14, 15 years – and that's what our fans really should expect us to do.

"It shouldn't be a fire drill when we have that transition to make. So, we're trying to prepare for that as best we can."

Blank is not expecting a winning season in 2022 but is hopeful for 2023.

"Next year we should be in a position where there'll be the biggest cap space that we've had since I've owned the team over 21 years," he said.

"It'll be something north of $100million to $110m. So, we'll have an opportunity to extend our own players and be more active in free agency than we were this year."

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and Todd Gurley rushed for Atlanta's two touchdowns at the Bank of America Stadium.

Ryan completed 21 of 30 passes for 281 yards and had an interception, while Gurley rushed for 46 yards on 18 carries.

Falcons star Julio Jones had seven receptions for 137 yards as Atlanta improved to 2-6 and the Panthers fell to 3-5 in the NFC South. Both teams are behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2) and New Orleans Saints (4-2).

Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater went 15 of 23 for 176 yards with a TD and an interception.

The Falcons were held to two field goals in the first quarter, coming either side of Curtis Samuel getting through some soft defense to rush 12 yards through the middle for the opening TD.

Bridgewater connected with Samuel for 29 yards to give the Panthers a 14-6 lead early in the second quarter.

It meant Samuel had his third career game with a rushing TD and receiving TD. All other wide receivers in the Panthers' history have two such games combined.

Ryan found room for a 13-yard rushing TD before Koo Younghoe drilled his third field goal of the game to give the Falcons a half-time lead.

Gurley's league-leading eighth rushing TD of the season saw the Falcons grab a 25-17 lead in the fourth quarter after the teams traded field goals in the third.

Atlanta held onto that lead to stretch the Panthers' losing streak.

The Falcons confirmed Ryan's departure to the Indianapolis Colts on Monday, with the 36-year-old traded for a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Mariota – who was the second overall draft pick in 2015 – signs on a two-year contract in Atlanta having left the Las Vegas Raiders, where he was back-up to Derek Carr.

The 28-year-old is already familiar with Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, with whom he worked when Smith was tight ends coach and then offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans.

Mariota mostly acted as an alternative rushing option for the Raiders in 2021, with his last significant game time coming in Week 15 of the 2020 season when he threw for 226 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Los Angeles Chargers. He also had nine carries for 88 yards and a touchdown in a 30-27 Raiders defeat.

It is expected the Falcons will still bring in another QB, so it remains to be seen whether Mariota is Ryan's long-term replacement or merely a stopgap. Atlanta have the eighth pick in this year's draft.

The Falcons previously had been interested in Deshaun Watson, who instead joined the Cleveland Browns in a trade with the Houston Texans.

It is widely thought negotiations for Watson played a role in Ryan leaving the team, although Falcons owner Arthur Blank released a statement following confirmation of his trade to the Colts, thanking the player and explaining the decision. 

"Matt Ryan has been the epitome of a franchise quarterback during his time here in Atlanta," Blank wrote.

"He has represented this organisation with great class, professionalism and leadership, both on and off the field, over the past 14 years.

"It is difficult to overstate what he has meant to me personally, our organisation, his team-mates and our fans. From his first day in the building, Matt has given his all in the pursuit of winning a championship for Atlanta.

"This business is not without its difficult decisions, and while this is one of the most difficult decisions we have faced as a club, we feel it is in the best long-term interests of both the Atlanta Falcons and Matt Ryan.

"On behalf of the entire Falcons organisation, I wish him success as he continues his career and know that he will bring the same dedication and professionalism to his next club."

Brady was part of the New England Patriots team that completed the largest comeback in Super Bowl history after rallying past the Falcons in 2017.

Ryan's Falcons surrendered a 28-3 lead as the Patriots sensationally prevailed 34-28 in overtime.

Falcons veteran Ryan will do battle against Brady, who now wears a Buccaneers jersey after leading Tampa Bay to the Super Bowl last season.

But that Super Bowl collapse is not in Ryan's head, with the 36-year-old – who is 0-5 against Brady in his career – discussing the infamous defeat on Wednesday.

"I haven't," Ryan said when he heard a reference to the Super Bowl LI loss. "I never heard of it."

The Falcons lost 32-6 to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 after Ryan (21-of-35 passing for 164 yards) did not throw a touchdown.

Ryan threw for 164 yards, his fewest in a game since Week 7 of 2019 (159) and his second fewest to open a season in his career, behind only the 161 yards in his first career game in 2008, per Stats Perform.

It was Atlanta's worst loss to open a season since losing by 38 in their opening game in 1987. The Falcons made field goals on each of their first two drives and then either punted or had a turnover on downs in each drive after that.

"Of course we want to win. It's not going to make up for that," Ryan said, discussing the Super Bowl defeat to the Patriots. "You know, it's one of those things. It's part of your past, it's part of what happened.

"But it's got no bearing on this week."

The Falcons are overseeing a period of change after head coach Quinn and general manager Dimitroff were sacked amid Atlanta's 0-5 start to the season.

Raheem Morris will take over as coach on an interim basis following Sunday's 23-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers, with attention now turning to veteran QB Ryan.

Ryan – the number three pick in the 2008 NFL Draft – remains contracted to the Falcons until 2023 and the 35-year-old has stated he would like to play until he is 40.

Through five games in 2020, the 2016 MVP and four-time Pro Bowler has completed 129 of 204 passes for 1,472 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions.

"I love Matt, much like I love Dan, I love Thomas,'' Blank said on Monday. "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.''

Ryan signed a five-year, $150million contract extension with the Falcons in 2018.

He was crowned MVP four years ago after leading the Falcons to Super Bowl LI, which saw the franchise infamously surrender a 28-3 lead against the New England Patriots.

Ryan holds the NFL record for most consecutive 200-plus yard passing games, with 64 between 2013 and 2017.

Since entering the league in 2008, Ryan has completed 4,589 of 7,021 passes for 52,658 yards and 328 touchdowns, while he has rushed for 1,318 yards and nine TDs.

Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Ryan led the Colts through the first seven games, but was demoted after the 19-10 defeat to the Tennessee Titans in October with the team 3-3-1.

Sam Ehlinger started in his place but lost both games before Ryan was given the nod for the 25-20 road victory over the Oakland Raiders in Week 10, the first game under new head coach Jeff Saturday after Frank Reich was fired.

Indianapolis have gone 0-4 since that win though, including a stunning 39-36 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday having led 33-0 at half-time.

The second-half collapse was the biggest in NFL history, with the Vikings scoring 29 unanswered points from 36-7 down to send the game to overtime, before Greg Joseph kicked a field goal to condemn the Colts to a dramatic loss.

That is likely to be Ryan's final game of the season and potentially his time in Indianapolis is over,

Foles won Super Bowl LII with the Philadelphia Eagles, toppling Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl MVP-winning performance.

He has played for the Colts' AFC South rival Jacksonville Jaguars since then as well as the Chicago Bears, and gets another chance to start at the age of 33.

With Indianapolis 4-9-1 and likely to be officially ruled out of playoff contention this weekend, Saturday believes the change at quarterback is necessary.

"It's never an easy decision," Saturday told reporters. "[I] think the world of Matt, he’s a pro’s pro.

"It's not been the season he expected, nor the Colts as a whole.

"[I] just didn't feel we made enough plays offensively. This is not all on Matt.

"Ultimately I feel like Nick will give us a better chance to go win these last three games."

Former NFL MVP Ryan was traded to the Indianapolis Colts this week, with Mariota – who spent the last two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders – then brought in on a two-year, $18.75million deal.

Mariota, the number two overall pick in the draft for the Tennessee Titans back in 2015, is relishing the opportunity to compete for a starting job again after backing up Derek Carr in Las Vegas.

But he is aware his task to make the job his own and replace four-time Pro Bowler Ryan, whose contract had hindered Atlanta's attempts to build for the future, is a big one.

"Those are big shoes to fill, no doubt," Mariota about Ryan. 

"For me, something I definitely learned over the course of my career is that you can't compare yourself to other people. 

"What Matt did here, what he's accomplished here, is truly greatness.

"For me, I just have to kind of carve my own path. I appreciate what he's done, what he's been for this organisation, and the best thing that I can do is try to put my best foot forward and be the best player that I can be.

"These last couple of years for me was a great reset. I got a chance to take a step back, learn, and I feel like I have and these experiences have created a lot of value for me.

"It really came down to the opportunity. Obviously, there's a chance for you to play, a chance for you to start right away.

"Really, for me, at this point in time of my career, that's what I was looking for. No matter what the situation is, I have to my best to lead these guys and help these guys become the best of their abilities.

"That doesn't necessarily mean I'm the starter, but I know that with Art [Smith], he's always going to be honest with me and I can really put forth my best foot forward and see what I can do."

Falcons head coach Smith was Offensive Coordinator with the Titans when Mariota lost his starting job in 2019, being benched for Ryan Tannehill.

Mariota, 28, explained he had learned a lot since then, having felt physically and mentally drained at the time.

He added: "During my time in Tennessee, we went through a lot of different things. I went through coaching changes, went through a broken ankle, some of these things that people would call adversity.

"At that point in time in my career in 2019, I was tired. I was just kind of tired of all the turnover, was tired of being beat up, and I wasn't playing well.

"At the end of the day, this is a performance-based business, and when you're not playing well, things happen, and I understood that.

"Art always honest. Even to the point where in 2019 when things weren't going well for me, he always shot me straight. As a player, I truly appreciate that. 

"He's always been focused on making sure I can get better, he is somebody that's always been there for me.

"I knew what I was getting into, what kind of culture he's building here, so that's why I'm excited to be here because I really do believe in Art and what he's doing.

"I've learned a lot over the course of the last, even really three years going back to that season in 2019. 

"I was both mentally and physically beat up. I think this is a great opportunity for me to kind of showcase what I've learned over the course of the last couple years. 

"I have been around guys like Ryan Tannehill and Derek Carr – guys that have played at a really high level. I'm excited for this opportunity."

The reigning Super Bowl champions scored 14 points from turnovers as New England suffered a myriad of offensive issues at Arrowhead Stadium with Cam Newton sidelined following a positive covid-19 test.

Patriots veteran Brian Hoyer stepped in and completed 15 of 24 passes for 130 yards and an interception, twice having the ball inside Kansas City’s 16-yard line without coming away with any points.

With the Patriots 6-3 behind and in short field-goal range, Hoyer was sacked by Frank Clark with seconds remaining to close out the first half, before the 34-year-old lost a fumble in the red zone to Taco Charlton.

It was the Patriots' fifth win in a row overall and seventh consecutive victory against the Falcons as New England (7-4) dominated the game despite scoring only one offensive touchdown. 

Mac Jones hit Nelson Agholor on a crossing route for a 19-yard TD early in the second quarter that gave New England a 10-0 lead, as the rookie quarterback again showed impressive efficiency in completing 22 of 26 passes for 207 yards. 

It was a different story for Atlanta's veteran quarterback Matt Ryan, who completed 19 of 28 passes for 153 yards and saw his team rush for just 40 more in another disastrous performance.

The Falcons' last four drives of the game ended interceptions, including Kyle Van Noy picking off backup QB Josh Rosen and returning it 35 yards for a touchdown with 1:23 remaining. 

Kicker Nick Folk accounted for the rest of New England's scoring with four field goals from as many attempts, while Younghoe Koo missed his only try for Atlanta. 

The Falcons (4-6) were shut out for the first time since a 38-0 loss at the Carolina Panthers in December 2015, and on the heels of their 43-3 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys in the previous game, they have been out-scored 89-6 since their most recent touchdown early in the fourth quarter of a 27-25 victory over the New Orleans Saints on November 7. 

The Falcons confirmed Ryan's departure to the Colts on Monday, with the 36-year-old traded for a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Ryan spent 14 seasons with Atlanta after arriving in 2008, with no player in the NFL throwing for more passing yards than the quarterback's 59,735 over that period.

He completed 67 per cent of his passes in 2021, his highest completion rate since 2018, for 3,968 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Prior to 2021, Ryan threw for 4,000 yards in 10 consecutive seasons, the high point coming in 2016 when he led the Falcons to the Super Bowl.

But with his time at Mercedes-Benz Stadium now over, the 2016 MVP is excited to begin a new journey with the Colts, who parted with Carson Wentz after just one season.

As part of a full page advert in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published on Wednesday, Ryan said: "Thank you, Atlanta.

"From the moment I landed here, late at night just hours after having been drafted, I felt at home. 

"The team welcomed me, balancing the typical indoctrinations of a rookie with the generous acceptance of wise and experienced veterans. 

"The city supported me, bringing enthusiasm to games but also to the more casual interactions we had day-to-day, I knew how lucky I was.

"When my first NFL pass ended with a touchdown, I admit that I felt like this was all meant to be. 

"I was immediately determined to do as right by Atlanta as Atlanta was doing by me. I carried that determination with me through every season that followed.

"Sports are sports, and there is a reason why we play the game every week. Winners are not preordained, and every drive does not end in a touchdown. 

"Success become all the sweeter, not only because I knew it was not guaranteed, but because I was enjoying it with teammates and fans who worked hard to earn it.

"There were of course disappointments, large and small. That did not shake my faith in this team, or in my determination to deliver. This disappointments became motivations."

Across his 14 years in Atlanta, Ryan was a four-time pro bowler, won the MVP award and set multiple franchise records, including the most career touchdowns.

"I have long thought and often said I would retire as a Falcon. But the changes and growth continue," he added.

"As excited as I am about the this next step in my career, this is a bittersweet moment. I have spent more than a decade playing for you, the fans of Atlanta. 

"You have made all of this worth it, and all of this means something more than what could ever be reflected in a statistic. 

"I appreciate each and every one of you, and I thank you, so sincerely, for the life you have given me all of these seasons.

"I am also very grateful to the coaches and teammates I have played with over the years. 

"There are too many to list here, but I hope each of you know how much you have shaped me as a player and as a person. I look forward to crossing paths, on the field and off.

"It seems impossible to sum up 14 years, and to adequately express my feelings about them. 

"As much as I have learned about change, though, I know this: Nothing can change what this time has meant to me. So, again. Thank you, Atlanta."

Jones had 137 yards on seven receptions as the Falcons claimed their second win of the NFL season by beating the Panthers 25-17 on Thursday.

The wide receiver had his 35th game with at least 125 receiving yards, tying Randy Moss and moving behind only Jerry Rice (49).

Ryan, who rushed for a touchdown during the win over the Panthers, lauded Jones.

"Just to start the game the way we did, to let them know it was going to be that kind of night and then his just clutch plays throughout the game, keep chains moving, I thought he played extremely well," the Falcons quarterback told reporters.

"It's no surprise he's on a list with Randy Moss, he's one of the best to ever do it and he played really well for us."

The Falcons (2-6) are bottom of the NFC South, behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2), New Orleans Saints (4-2) and Panthers (3-5).

Atlanta have suffered four losses by single digits this season, having squandered multiple leads during the campaign.

But Ryan believes the Falcons can produce a strong run to finish the season.

"We've been in every game we've played this year," he said.

"We've had some crazy losses just to be frank and I really believe that we've got the calibre of team to go be in every game that we're going to play the rest of the season and why can't we win them all? That's the mindset I have."

Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater paid tribute to the Falcons for their performance.

"Tough loss. We've just got to find ways to finish these games, that can't be the common thing around here – coming up short," he said.

"We get this weekend off, we're at the mid-point of the season I think, still got time for us to just reflect, see some of the things we've done well in the first half of the season, see what we need to improve on.

"A game like today you know that you're going to get a team's best, they know us well, we know them well, we just came up short. They played a good game today, obviously we like to finish with points, but hats off to those guys."

The Colts are currently 3-3-1 for the campaign, and Ryan – a postseason acquisition from the Atlanta Falcons – has thrown a league-high nine interceptions. 

Ryan threw two interceptions – one of which was returned 76 yards for a touchdown – during the Colts' 19-10 loss to their AFC South rivals the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

On Monday, head coach Frank Reich revealed the team's plan to make Ehlinger their starting QB for the rest of the season, and Ryan accepts that decision.

"It's not something I've dealt with [before], but I've been around a long time and seen that it happens," Ryan said.

"I've always preached that you've got to accept and embrace the role that they decide for you and try and be the best in that role that you can be. That's what I'll do.

"As a player, you just always anticipate, you're getting ready, you're going to go and so that's where your mindset's at. 

"There was a little bit of surprise and shock at the beginning, but it's a decision they had to make and, as a player, as a team-mate, you have to move forward and you've got to help out where you can."

Reich, meanwhile, has refuted the suggestion the decision to change quarterback means the Colts are giving up on the season. 

"I can tell you this for sure, nobody is waving the white flag," Reich said. "It's not in my DNA. It's not in our players' DNA. I would never do that in a million years. I just couldn't do that."

Ryan has completed 203 of 297 passes for 2,008 yards at a 68.4 per cent completion rate this season, with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has also been sacked 24 times, tied for the second most in the NFL this season.

Saturday, who never coached at the pro or college level prior to his shock appointment by owner Jim Irsay earlier this month, led the Colts for the third time in the narrow defeat, slipping to a 1-2 record.

But Saturday only used the Colts' first timeout on fourth down with 30 seconds remaining before quarterback Matt Ryan threw an incomplete pass to the left sideline for Parris Campbell on fourth-and-3.

Ryan had scrambled for a run on the second-and-17 of the final drive but dived short of the first-down line, yet the Colts played quickly on third-and-3 with running back Jonathan Taylor bottled up before the timeout was called.

"I thought we had plenty of time," Saturday told reporters. "We had plenty of timeouts, so I wasn't too concerned.

"This wasn't a press for time, we just didn't make enough plays."

Ryan, who admitted he thought he was closer to the first-down line on his run, backed Saturday's decision not to call an earlier timeout.

"I don’t mind the call going with some tempo, trying to get that first and probably bang a timeout after that first," he said.

"We didn’t get it, then have to take that timeout on the fourth down call. Credit to them, they did a good job on jumping inside, we had some in-breaking routes.

"It's disappointing. It really is, I think the effort is good, but our execution just hasn’t been good enough."

Ryan was pressured on 44 per cent of dropbacks, which was the highest in a game this season.

The win means the Colts are 4-7-1 overall and second in the AFC South behind the 7-4 Tennessee Titans.

The Steelers improved to 4-7 but remain last in the AFC North. Rookie Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett enjoyed his third straight game without a turnover, completing 20 of 28 passes for 174 yards.

"He's getting better every week, he's a competitor, he's smart but there's still a lot of meat on the bone," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said about Pickett.

"I've always said he's good enough and we're good enough to win while that happens. We acknowledge he's very much in development."

Defending champions Kansas City have a 9-1 record this season, while the Buccaneers are 7-3.

Though Tampa have lost two of their past three games, the Chiefs' most recent two victories have been by tight margins, and now an all-time great in the form of six-time Super Bowl champion Brady goes up against the league's current star quarterback.

The game in Florida is among the key Thanksgiving weekend matchups we preview with Stats Perform data.

FEATURED GAME

Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Sunday, 4:25pm (all times Eastern)

- This game is a matchup of the quarterbacks who won the past two Super Bowls, with Brady winning Super Bowl LIII two seasons ago with the New England Patriots and Mahomes and the Chiefs winning the Lombardi Trophy last February. The Bucs are 1-4 this season versus QBs who have started in Super Bowls, and 6-0 in all other games.

- Kansas City have reeled off five straight victories, scoring 30 or more points in each of the last four contests. In the franchise's 61-year history, the team has scored 30 or more points in five successive games on two occasions, in 2004 and 2018 (both streaks ended at five games).

- With a 13.5 touchdown-interception ratio (27 TD passes, two picks), Mahomes is tied for the second best single-season mark among qualifiers in league history. He is topped by only Brady and his 14.0 mark in 2016 as a member of the Patriots (28 and two).

- Twenty years and six days after making his NFL debut, Brady will look to snap a two-game home losing streak. It is the third time in his career and first since 2006 that the veteran campaigner has lost consecutive home contests in the regular season; he has never suffered a three-game home losing streak.

OTHER KEY GAMES

Arizona Cardinals at New England Patriots - Sunday, 1pm

- New England have won six of the last seven games between these teams dating back to 1993, with Arizona's only win coming in 2012 in Foxborough. The Cardinals have not scored more than 21 points in any of those seven games – they had at least 24 in six of the first seven all-time meetings between these teams (6-1).

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts - Sunday, 1pm

- Ryan Tannehill has 44 touchdown passes and nine interceptions in his 20 starts with Tennessee. His 4.89 TD/INT ratio is the best all-time by a quarterback in his first 20 starts with a team, surpassing Peyton Manning with the Denver Broncos (4.82).

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers - Sunday, 8:20pm

- Green Bay are 15-3 against Chicago since the 2011 season – the third best record by one team against a divisional opponent in that span, behind the Patriots against the New York Jets (17-2) and the Steelers against the Cinciannati Bengals (16-3). Since the start of last season, the Bears have gone 14 games scoring fewer than 20 points. Only the Jets (17), Bengals (15), and Washington (15) have had more such games.

Seattle Seahawks at Philadelphia Eagles - Monday, 8:15pm

- The Eagles are 2-5 against the Seahawks in Philadelphia, their worst home record against any active franchise. Losers of the last five such matchups, Philly have not dropped six consecutive home games to a single opponent since losing six straight to the Cardinals from 1973 to 1978.

ELSEWHERE...

Los Angeles Chargers at Buffalo Bills - Sunday, 1pm

- The Chargers have won four straight over the Bills by a combined 80 points, winning each by double digits. The last time the Bills beat the Chargers was on October 19, 2008 – that 12-year span without a win is the fourth-longest active drought by any team against a conference opponent.

Las Vegas Raiders at Atlanta Falcons - Sunday, 1pm

- Atlanta's Matt Ryan is set to play in his 200th career game on Sunday. His tally of 54,164 passing yards (though 199 games) is the second-most in NFL history in a player's first 200 games, trailing only Drew Brees (55,439).

Benny Snell Jr's six-yard touchdown run followed by George Pickens' two-point conversion were the only scores in the final quarter, after the Colts charged back with two third-quarter TDs to claim a 17-16 lead at the final change.

Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett completed 20 of 28 passes for 174 yards, along with 32 rushing yards from six carries, as the Steelers improved to 4-7. The Colts, who came into the game second in the AFC South, fall to 4-7-1.

The Colts had rallied from a 16-3 half-time deficit with touchdowns to Jonathan Taylor – sparked by Dallas Flowers' 89-yard kickoff return – and Michael Pittman Jr.

Matt Ryan passed for Pittman for his only touchdown of the game, completing 22 of 34 passes for 199 yards with one interception.

At 16-10, the Colts coughed up a costly fumble as Ryan and Taylor botched an exchange at first-and-goal from the one-yard line, which was recovered by defensive end Chris Wormley. Indianapolis gave up two turnovers for the game, with their season tally up to an NFL-high 21.

The Steelers offensive had 172 rush yards, with four players totalling at least 30 for the first time in the same game since 1999, with Snell (62 yards on 12 carries), Najee Harris (35 on 10), Anthony McFarland Jr (30 on six) and Pickett.

Harris crossed for the only first-half TD on a six-yard second-quarter run, with Matthew Wright converting three-of-three field goals.