Matt Ryan was a MVP candidate through the first half of the season. That seems like an eternity ago.
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The Atlanta Falcons quarterback has been cool as his nickname recently, throwing two touchdown passes and six interceptions in the last three games. He posted season lows in completion percentage (54.5) and yards (165) against the New Orleans Saints last week.
Ryan fantasy owners have panicked. Ryan hasn't, however, and neither have the Falcons.
"I don't worry too much about the statistics or those types of things," Ryan said, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "We have to do a better job on third down. If we can convert third downs better, we'll have a better chance."
The Falcons sit at No. 6 on the ATL Power Poll but are one of just two one-loss teams. They've won three consecutive games by a combined 17 points. That doesn't instill a lot of Super Bowl-type confidence, and a lot of that has to do with Ryan's average play.
"You're trying to find ways to be better," Ryan said. "I think we have target areas where we need to be more productive. I think our red-zone touchdown percentage can be better than what it is. That's an area that we've been striving to get better at."
The Falcons have a tricky end to the season that should let us know what kind of team is entering the playoffs as a likely top-two seed. Road games against the ticked-offCarolina Panthers and pesky Detroit Lions and home games against the need-to-win New York Giants and NFC South rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ryan could use his mojo back right about now.
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.
