Greg Cosell's Film Review: How Matt Ryan became an MVP favorite

There seems to be a perception that Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan came out of nowhere this season. That’s not true.

Ryan has been a very good player since he came into the NFL. He’s a rhythm quarterback with good timing. He understands defenses. He has enough aggression and confidence to turn it loose and make tough throws that are demanded in the NFL. Last season he didn’t play quite as well, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been a good quarterback. He posted a passer rating of at least 89.6 every season from 2010-14. He led the NFL in completion percentage in 2012, and threw 32 touchdowns too. In his third season he had nine interceptions in 571 attempts. But because he had never reached a Super Bowl, people would say he’s a good player but he couldn’t win big games.

While Ryan has always been good, everything came together for him in this career season. Including that Super Bowl appearance.

[Ditch the paper and pen – play Squares Pick’em for the Big Game!]

What led to Ryan becoming an MVP favorite this season? The biggest difference might be his comfort with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and the scheme. Ryan, again, is a rhythm quarterback. He didn’t seem comfortable last season, his first with Shanahan. He played fast, not with the timing we’re used to seeing from him. His issues showed up in the red zone, where everything is magnified. It looks on film like everything has slowed down for him this season, in context of the offense.

The first thing to note is that the play-calling has been really good. That will help any quarterback. Here’s a look at a play from the Falcons’ divisional round win against the Seattle Seahawks. Tevin Coleman, Austin Hooper and Taylor Gabriel had a great route combination, with Gabriel running the skinny post, Hooper running into the flat from the slot and Coleman running a corner route from an offset backfield position. The Seahawks were in Cover 3 zone. Cornerback DeShawn Shead matched up with Gabriel, and that cleared the deep third for Coleman on his corner route. It’s a great concept because it sent two receivers into the same zone, and Coleman caught a 14-yard touchdown from Ryan.

The offense is very well designed, and Ryan is executing it at a high level. Here’s a great example of Ryan’s execution. Against the Carolina Panthers in Week 16, the Falcons had a two-man route concept to attack the Panthers’ predominant zone coverage. It was a post-wheel combination, which is good against Cover 3 or quarters zone because it sends two receivers through a zone. The Panthers were in quarters. The concept distorted the responsibility of outside cornerback James Bradberry, but Bradberry did a good job passing Adrick Robinson on to safety Tre Boston and stayed in his outside responsibility. Linebacker Thomas Davis stayed with Hooper. But Ryan made a great throw to Josh Perkins for a 26-yard touchdown.

Here’s a good look at the accuracy of the throw from the television broadcast:

Ryan doesn’t have a big arm, but he can make all the necessary throws. Here’s another excellent throw on a good route concept. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a late rotation to Cover 3 from an initial look with two deep safeties (notice that Ryan immediately diagnosed this). On a seam-wheel concept, there was just a moment of uncertainty for cornerback Brent Grimes. Ryan used that one misstep by Grimes to find Hooper for 28 yards.

We’ve seen in the previous plays how well Ryan is playing physically. Here’s a play from early in the season against the Panthers that shows his mental skill and also his physical ability. Julio Jones won a go route down the field. Ryan did a great job with his eyes and helmet focused down the middle of the field to freeze the safety, then made an outstanding deep throw with the pocket collapsing.

When I talk about Ryan playing in rhythm, with proper timing in context of the offense, this is what I mean. In Week 15, against the San Francisco 49ers, Ryan made a good anticipation throw on third-and-goal. The 49ers blitzed two off the edges and dropped two linemen into shallow zone coverage. Safety Vinnie Sunseri came through unblocked but Ryan beat it with the timing of the throw. He hit Hooper for a 9-yard touchdown.

We can see through these plays what Ryan has done so well this season. He’s executing a good offense very well. He’s seeing and diagnosing things well. On many occasions he’s making tight-window throws, while cutting way down on the mistakes that plagued him at times last season. Put it all together, and you can see why he might win his first MVP.

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NFL analyst and NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell watches as much NFL game film as anyone. Throughout the season, Cosell will join Shutdown Corner to share his observations on the teams, schemes and personnel from around the league.