Flacco, Ryan Collide In Atlanta

NFL News - September 3rd, 2009 - Written by John

The top two contenders for last season's Rookie of the Year will face off tonight as the Baltimore Ravens goes the Atlanta.

Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco will be under center for the start of the preseason finale. BetUS is giving Atlanta a three-point edge with the running game and home field as the presumable difference.

Both the Baltimore Ravens and the Atlanta Falcons are both riding high after great 2008 campaigns, looking dramatically different on offense than they did two years ago.

The Falcons took quarterback Ryan with the first pick in the draft after going 4-12 in 2007, seemingly on the verge of total collapse and Ryan repaid the favor.

He was so good that he was named NFL Rookie of the Year, narrowly edging out Flacco and made a case for the league MVP. He also made the Falcons faithful all but forget about being burned by Michael Vick and Bobby Petrino. His teammates named him Matty-Ice because of his demeanor on and off the field, and the Falcons made the playoffs with an 11-5 record.

That same year, a few rungs further down the draft board, the Ravens took Flacco from the state university in Delaware, hoping it would pay dividends in the future. What they didn't know was that Flacco would be the answer immediately. Already with a fearsome defense, the Ravens raced through the regular season, going 11-5, and making it to the AFC Championship.

Flacco has returned better than ever this season, most-recently throwing for 247 yards and a touchdown pass Saturday against Carolina. He was a sparkling 23-for-28.

The Falcons have won two straight games, including a dramatic come-from-behind victory against San Diego. The Falcons won thanks to a five-yard touchdown pass from Chris Redman to Eric Weems on fourth down with five seconds left in the game.

The Falcons got a big boost to their defense Tuesday, trading for former first-round selection Tye Hill shore up the secondary.

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