Fansided

NFL quarterback power rankings: NFC South edition

By Mike Phillips

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 26: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints warming up prior to the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl at Camping World Stadium on January 26, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 26: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints warming up prior to the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl at Camping World Stadium on January 26, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
TAMPA, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 29: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons in action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on December 29, 2019, in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 29: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons in action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on December 29, 2019, in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

3. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons)

2019 Stats: 66.2% completion rate, 4,466 yards, 26 touchdowns, 14 interceptions

Another victim of the NFC South’s strong competition at quarterback is Matt Ryan, a former MVP who has taken his team to a Super Bowl. Ryan is only the third-best quarterback in his own division, which says a lot of the resumes of the two teams ahead of him.

There is a bit of pressure on Ryan to break through and win it all as he enters this season as a 35-year old. The Atlanta Falcons still have plenty of weapons to help Ryan, including talented receivers like Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, but the team as a whole has underachieved for the past two years.

The good news for Falcons’ fans is that Ryan has alternated extraordinary seasons with merely good ones the past four years, with 2019 ranking in the good category. If Ryan puts up numbers closer to his MVP-winning 2016 campaign, or even his strong 2018 season, the Falcons have a chance to make some noise in a loaded division.

The Falcons are far from disappointed in the Ryan era, but there is a piece of it that leaves the franchise wanting a bit more than what they have gotten. Ryan is entering the end of his peak years so he will start needing a bit more help to bring Atlanta to their long-awaited first title.

Home/NFL Power Rankings