With The First Pick
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Matt Ryan’s Dirty Birds End Packers Playoff Run

By Frank Sumrall

Oct 30, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) celebrates their win against the Green Bay Packers at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons won 33-32. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) celebrates their win against the Green Bay Packers at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons won 33-32. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kyle Shanahan led an offensive onslaught en route to a dominating 44-21 finish in the NFC Championship game.

It was the perfect sendoff for the Georgia Dome as it provided the Atlanta Falcons their first NFC title game victory since 1998. They will make their second Super Bowl performance in two weeks.

Matt Ryan led the team through two commanding playoff victories after only winning one postseason game before this season. He finished the game with almost 400 passing yards, four touchdowns and a staggering 139.4 passer rating.

The MVP favorite tore apart the depleted Green Bay defense; scoring on five of their first six drives. While Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman did not find much success on the ground, they combined for 77 yards on seven grabs and a score.

The key to their successful offense is making everyone on the field a weapon. Eight players caught a pass from Ryan. Five players found the end zone, including a rushing touchdown from Matty Ice; his first since 2012.

But the offense revolved around one player: Julio Jones. Despite battling three-foot injuries, he terrorized the weak and injury-riddled secondary for 180 yards on nine receptions and two touchdowns.

Each team’s first possession of the second half perfectly encapsulated their performances. The Packers went three-and-out with two drops from Jared Cook. The Falcons started the second half with a 73-yard touchdown to Julio Jones. He burned Ladarius Gunter and bullied Damarious Randall with a stiff arm as he scampered into the promised land for six, even after Gunter was called for defensive holding on him.

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After a week of Aaron Rodgers being heralded as the NFL GOAT, he could not keep pace with Matt Ryan. Finishing 27-for-45 for 287 yards, three scores and an interception; it is hard to put all the blame on Rodgers, but the lukewarm offensive performance was surprising. His 91.6 passer rating is far inferior to the 110.9 average he had in his previous two contests.

It became such a struggle to move the ball against Atlanta that Rodgers tallied 46 rush yards in the second half, leading his team on the ground.

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Missed opportunities summarized Green Bay’s first half. They could not recover an Atlanta fumble despite coughing up the pigskin at the goal line. Matt Ryan threw two almost interceptions at the end of the half in the end zone, but the drive ended with a toe-tapping touchdown to none other than Julio Jones.

Green Bay finally looked exposed with all of their defensive holes and offensive injuries. Their eight-game win streak ended with not a bang, but a whimper. The battered and bruised team will have a lot to think about this offseason, but they will remain a contender with Rodgers under center.

Matt Ryan and Julio Jones ranked 5th all time in passing and receiving yards for a conference title game and will send chills down whoever’s spine in Houston. Matt Ryan came into the season with some analysts thinking he is the worst QB in the NFC South. That all changed with an MVP award and a Lombardi trophy well within reach.

A big congratulations to the Atlanta Falcons for their second NFC Championship game victory.

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