Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith says that QB Matt Ryan among the league's most underrated players. | Associated Press/Don Wright
Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith says that QB Matt Ryan among the league's most underrated players. | Associated Press/Don Wright
After Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan led his team to a come-from-behind victory over the Miami Dolphins 30-28, Falcons coach Arthur Smith said Ryan hasn’t gotten the praise he deserves.
The Oct. 24 contest was held in Hardrock Stadium on the Dolphins' home turf in Miami Gardens, Florida.
"He's a special player," Smith said of Ryan on atlantafalcons.com. "I personally think he's criminally underrated if you look at his career here in the National Football League."
Smith said that filling the quarterback role in the NFL is the most difficult job in sports and the most misunderstood.
“For a guy to do it and have the production he (Ryan) has had year over year consistently, and then come in here and lead this football team by example," Smith said. “Obviously he's got confidence, but he's going to lead this football team from the front.”
The report said Ryan has recently come on strong. After a two-loss start to the season, Ryan and the Falcons are 3-1 for their last four games.
How good Ryan really is has become a subject of debate among football aficionados across the country in recent weeks, including doubts about his age (36).
Scott Bair, the Falcons’ digital managing editor, indicated in an op-ed piece on atlantafalcons.com that Ryan has not gotten the positive reviews he deserves because instead of flash, he’s as good as any quarterback in the league and gets the job done with an icy calm demeanor.
“He's also known as a polished presence, someone who is always calm, cool and collected on the field and off,” Bair said. “The dude's nicknamed Matty Ice for goodness sakes, and it seemed to fit.”
Smith said Ryan has consistently produced winning games.
“There are just not many guys who have had the production he's done for a long time,” he said. “In any industry, somebody that sustains success, those are the people I look at. I've been pleased, and I feel fortunate to work with Matt."
Atlantafalcons.com said Ryan on Oct. 10 had become the seventh quarterback in NFL history with 5,000 completions.
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