One thing I will always thank the front office for....

**Ash55** · 03-05-2013, 05:36 PM

Off subject but I wish I could find a t shirt that supports the front office. I know they cant use wizard of oz because of infringment. But I would love a shirt that gives our front office some love with how many pro bowl apperances our players have had, mvps, awards, etc.

I dont know maybe its me. Me and my buddies go up to the mountains to a friends cabin and watch the draft every year. Just the guys and it is an amazing year tradition. I wish I had something to wear to support the front office :)

**Coastergenius** · 03-05-2013, 05:52 PM

You'd have to admit that Matt Ryan had a hotter start than Flacco. Who knows, maybe we win the Super Bowl in one of the earlier seasons if he's our QB. But, I think that Flacco is better now. He's always had rare one of a kind physical gifts, but now he has the football acumen, poise, and accuracy to be an elite passer. Matt Ryan has always been a master at the short routes, but he'll never have the deep ball that Flacco has, or the speed.

**Losac** · 03-05-2013, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by Mista T

I had the fortunate experience of watching both Ryan and Flacco in their senior seasons playing at College Park and Annapolis. Plus a few TV games for each guy. I concluded that Ryan was a lot of hype, but would become a run-of-the-mill former ACC QB in the NFL, while Flacco's arm and size/speed made him look like the next QB superstar, potentially in the league with Unitas, Montana, Elway etc.

My opinion hasn't changed, much. Ryan's regular season performance has been better than I thought it would be, but not close to top tier.

Ryan is blessed with a pair of outstanding WRs and TE, who make him appear better than he really is in regular season. When it counts: his playoff record has been downright embarrassing.

I'll vouch for this. I do remember you talking up Flacco before the 08 draft, saying you wanted him when most had never even heard of the guy.

**leachisabeast** · 03-05-2013, 06:10 PM

Matt Ryan is right in the tier I originally though Joe Flacco was in, the 2nd tier of very good QBs who can potentially win you SBs with the right supporting cast, but wont take over big games put the team on his back. Flacco has proven me wrong about that, and is in my eyes now in the deluxe group of QBs (there my new replacement word for that dated "elite" crap. ;)). That's fine, Atlanta are always going to be contenders with him at QB, and with the weapons they have. They are going to have to draft some nice prospects to improve that defense though. I'm not sure if Matt Ryan eating up all the cap as one of the top paid players in the game will give you much value however, they will likely not be able to re-sign Roddy White pretty soon, and would probably have a 50/50 chance with Julio Jones in a few years without using the tag, because I think Julio is going to have a real shot at becoming the best paid WR in the history of the NFL. There is no way you can invest that much cap space into one area of the game.

**ballhawk** · 03-05-2013, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by esmd

I'll cut Ryan some slack. That is a flawed team around him. He's got some weapons at WR and TE yes, but they have no running game and their defense is highly suspect. They're actually a lot like the Saints. Switch Ryan and Flacco and I think we still get our ring this year (although I suppose you could make the argument that doing that would've cost us some of the assets that helped us win the SB due to the cost of trading up to get him).

I might be wrong about this, but had we not gotten extra picks by trading back in the first to select Flacco, we probably wouldn't have ended up with Ray Rice. No 4th and 29, prob no SB.

EDIT: I now see Iscull already brought this up.

**ballhawk** · 03-05-2013, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by Ash55

Off subject but I wish I could find a t shirt that supports the front office. I know they cant use wizard of oz because of infringment. But I would love a shirt that gives our front office some love with how many pro bowl apperances our players have had, mvps, awards, etc.

I dont know maybe its me. Me and my buddies go up to the mountains to a friends cabin and watch the draft every year. Just the guys and it is an amazing year tradition. I wish I had something to wear to support the front office :)

I been thinking about getting an Ozzie Newsome Ravens jersey. I'd have to get it custom made though, not sure how much that cost.

**The Excellector** · 03-05-2013, 07:46 PM

Yeah, I wonder what Matt Ryan would have done, having to deal with Pittsburgh twice a year.

I remember what happened the first time he played Pittsburgh. It didn't go so well.

**pslholder96** · 03-05-2013, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by esmd

Fair enough. I think it's debatable, but I'm certainly not sorry we have Joe. I just think Ryan gets piled on a bit too much. Take him away and the Falcons are a 3-13 or 4-12 team. Take Flacco away and I think we could still fight for 7-9 wins.

So you honestly think Troy Smith would have led us to 7-9 wins??? If anyone gets piled on too much it's Flacco. The expectations for Matt Ryan were much higher, so far he's underachieved. I do think it's only a matter of time before he turns the corner gets his team to the superbowl.

**Beau Petard** · 03-05-2013, 10:53 PM

e-
FWIW and IMHO, I suspect a lot of the fan animosity towards Ryan is predicated on the media's "Matty Ice" knob-slobbing. I don't follow the guy too closely, but after hearing "Matty Ice", or "RGIII this, RGIII that" or whatever for the millionth time, I'm ready to grab Mr. Ruger and pop some .40's into the tube, hoping to hit the announcers! ;)

**B-more Ravor** · 03-06-2013, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

If they hadn't talked Steve Bisciotti out of what he wanted to do, the Ravens would have ended up with.......................Matt Ryan!!!

Oh no!!!!

I think it had more to do with the Rams asking for a King's Ransom than anything Bisciotti did. IIRC, it would have cost us our 1st and 2nd and the following year's 1st to move ahead of ATL. That was too much, especially when there was another QB that they like very much who would be available later in the 1st.

**Paintballguy** · 03-06-2013, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by B-more Ravor

I think it had more to do with the Rams asking for a King's Ransom than anything Bisciotti did. IIRC, it would have cost us our 1st and 2nd and the following year's 1st to move ahead of ATL. That was too much, especially when there was another QB that they like very much who would be available later in the 1st.

How bad are the Rams? Had a chance to get Ryan and RG3. lol

**Captain Silver** · 03-06-2013, 09:24 AM

My brother in Buffalo lives, eats, and sleeps NFL football and he said to me, Ryan was going to be good, but Flacco was going to be better. And this guys favorite player of all time is Peyton Manning.

But you can't play the hindsight game, be glad we got who we got and let the Falcons be the champs of season records, they don't transfer into Lombardi's.