ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Matt Ryan can finally put the Falcons behind him.
Whether it was seeing his name on the back of a No. 2 Colts jersey hanging in his locker, or completing his first attempt — a 6-yarder to tight end Kylen Granson — the 37-year-old quarterback feels as if his transition to Indianapolis is complete.
WESTFIELD, Ind. (AP) — Matt Ryan first noticed Jonathan Taylor's natural instincts on Indianapolis Colts game film.
One play proved Taylor is even more impressive in person.
At Indy's first training camp practice last week, Ryan got a glimpse into this season's possibilities when his new running back caught a screen pass, quickly turned up the field and left defenders in his wake.
WESTFIELD, Ind. (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts pulled on their helmets and pads Tuesday and quickly returned to work.
For the first time since enduring one of the most bitter defeats in recent franchise history, they were focused squarely on football.
WESTFIELD, Ind. (AP) — Matt Ryan spent 14 seasons winning over coaches, teammates and fans with his sensational play in Atlanta.
Now, he's trying to do it all over again — in Indianapolis.
For the first time since his rookie season, Ryan is learning a new playbook at a new training camp facility and developing a new routine.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Coach Arthur Smith wants to see improvement from last year’s 7-10 record even though conventional wisdom says the Atlanta Falcons will backslide in 2022.
The Falcons began training camp Wednesday with a roster that has only a few positions settled.
ATLANTA FALCONS (7-10)
CAMP SITE: Flowery Branch, Ga.
LAST YEAR: The Falcons, looking for a fresh start under first-year coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot, were outscored 459-313.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-8)
CAMP SITE: Westfield, Indiana
LAST YEAR: Carson Wentz, NFL rushing champion Jonathan Taylor and a solid defense put Indianapolis in playoff position.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Matt Ryan followed his regular routine this offseason.
He helped fine-tune the playbook, broke down last season's game tapes and met with coaches and teammates. Only this time, he was working with a new team — the Indianapolis Colts.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Now Nick Foles and Frank Reich can start diagramming the "Indy Special."
The Colts announced Monday they had signed Foles to a two-year contract that reunites the quarterback and coach who combined on a trademark play call to help the Philadelphia Eagles win the 2017 NFL title.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Matt Ryan thought he'd experienced virtually every conceivable situation during his first 14 NFL seasons.
He was voted the league's MVP. He nearly won a championship. He overcame coaching changes, COVID-19 protocols and rebuilds.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — It took 42 selections Friday before a second quarterback was taken in the NFL draft. And it was a proven commodity in college, Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder.
A full 54 spots after Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh went 20th to the Steelers on Thursday night, Ridder was taken by Atlanta.
A dearth of premier passers in the upcoming NFL draft meant the quarterback carousel spun faster than ever this spring.
Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan, Marcus Mariota, Carson Wentz, Teddy Bridgewater, Drew Lock and Deshaun Watson all changed teams in 2022.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The talent of the quarterbacks who might be available to the Atlanta Falcons in 2023 could impact decisions by general manager Terry Fontenot with the No. 8 overall pick in next week's NFL draft.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Coach Frank Reich welcomed a whole new cast to the Indianapolis Colts headquarters Monday.
Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley continued the installation of his new scheme. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore, the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and five-time Pro Bowler, told reporters why he signed with Indy.
42. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-8)
LAST SEASON: Carson Wentz, NFL rushing champion Jonathan Taylor and a solid defense put Indianapolis in position to make the playoffs. But the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Colts on their home turf in Week 17 and then Indy endured an embarrassing 15-point loss at Jacksonville in the season finale — a collapse that eliminated it from the postseason and spurred an offseason overhaul.
8. ATLANTA FALCONS (7-10)
LAST SEASON: The Falcons were outscored 459-313, making seven wins something of an accomplishment under first-year coach Arthur Smith. Highlights included the play of rookie tight end Kyle Pitts, who led the team with 68 catches for 1,026 yards, and versatile Cordarrelle Patterson, who scored a combined 11 touchdowns while leading the team in rushing and finishing third in receptions.
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — For a few weeks, the Indianapolis Colts had a huge void at quarterback. Then the Deshaun Watson carousel began spinning, and soon enough, Matt Ryan was available.
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — There's virtually no chance NFL owners will be competing during their meetings this week with the stream of big news made by trades and in free agency thus far this year.
ATLANTA (AP) — For the first time since 2008, the Atlanta Falcons will be breaking in a new quarterback.
That's hardly their only concern after trading Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts.
Matt Ryan was ready for a change and Indianapolis seemed like the perfect place to make a title run.
The 14-year NFL veteran and 2016 league MVP left Atlanta and arrived at his new team complex Tuesday, hoping to become the third straight veteran quarterback to win a Super Bowl in his first season with a new team.
ATLANTA (AP) — It was a 1-2 punch to the gut for Atlanta's sports fans.
In the space of an extraordinary week, two of the city's most beloved sports figures — Freddie Freeman and Matt Ryan — were gone.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts may have found another short-term answer at quarterback by trading for Matt Ryan.
How much longer the soon-to-be 37-year-old, four-time Pro Bowler sticks around isn’t clear.
ATLANTA FALCONS (7-10)
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: RB Cordarrelle Patterson, LB Foyesade Oluokun, TE Lee Smith, TE Hayden Hurst, S Erik Harris, PK Younghoe Koo, WR Russell Gage, QB A.J. McCarron, SS Duron Harmon, CB Isaiah Oliver, OL Josh Andrews, DE Steven Means, CB Fabian Moreau, LS Josh Harris, P Thomas Morstead, OLB Brandon Copeland, DE Jonathan Bullard, WR Tajae Sharpe, OT Jason Spriggs, LB Daren Bates, LB Dorian Etheridge.
ATLANTA (AP) — For endangering the integrity of the sport by betting on games, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been suspended by the NFL for at least the next season.
Ridley won’t play in 2022 and there is no guarantee for the NFL future of the player who had been expected to be the Falcons’ top target for quarterback Matt Ryan.
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank says the team must have a succession plan at quarterback even while Matt Ryan appears set to continue as the starter in 2022.
The Falcons face more complicated decisions at wide receiver, where Calvin Ridley's status remains uncertain.
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons have made dramatic progress in close games.
The next challenge is to create more tight finishes. And wins.
The Falcons (7-10) capped their fourth consecutive losing season with Sunday's 30-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints' defense has led the team’s playoff push.
The Saints (8-8) have won three of their past four as the defense dominated the Jets, shut out Tom Brady and the Buccaneers and held Carolina scoreless for the final 43 minutes last week.
ATLANTA (AP) — A last-minute interception by Foye Oluokun showed again the Atlanta Falcons are learning to win close games.
Matt Ryan threw a tie-breaking, 12-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Hurst early in the fourth quarter and the Falcons held on late to beat the Detroit Lions 20-16 on Sunday to preserve their slim playoff hopes.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Russell Gage's late-season emergence is especially important as quarterback Matt Ryan tries to keep the Atlanta Falcons' passing game moving despite more uncertainty at wide receiver.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The game couldn't have gotten off to a much better start for the Atlanta Falcons, who recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff at the 12-yard line.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Atlanta linebacker Mykal Walker has no explanation why the Falcons have played so well on the road this season and struggled at home.
“For me personally, I don’t see any difference between playing on the road or at home," Walker said.
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons wanted to try to run the ball against the NFL’s top rushing defense.
That part worked out. It just wasn't enough against Tom Brady and Tampa Bay.
Cordarrelle Patterson had 78 of Atlanta’s 121 yards rushing, but Brady passed for four touchdowns in the Buccaneers' 30-17 win on Sunday.
ATLANTA (AP) — The first shutout loss in six years for the Atlanta Falcons was only the capper on a miserable week for their offense.
Atlanta's 25-0 loss to the New England Patriots on Thursday night followed Sunday's 43-3 defeat at Dallas in a week quarterback Matt Ryan and the Falcons would rather forget.
Even the most die-hard Atlanta fans might avoid watching Thursday night's matchup with New England. They all know that Fox will be hitting hard on that February 2017 night in Houston when the Falcons went brain dead and allowed the Patriots to steal a Super Bowl.
ATLANTA (AP) — Tom Brady has moved on to win a seventh championship at Tampa Bay.
Only a handful of Atlanta players remain from that fateful night in Houston.
Yet memories of the greatest comeback — and flop — in Super Bowl history still linger, especially when the Falcons are facing the New England Patriots.
SCOREBOARD
Monday, Nov. 8
Bears at Steelers, 8:15 p.m. EST. Rookie quarterback Justin Fields rushed for 103 yards last week for the Bears, but he's spent much of his time running for his life.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Matt Ryan's last and longest of several deep completions spared the Atlanta Falcons from another infamous collapse.
Ryan hit Cordarrelle Patterson for a 64-yard gain with a minute left to set up Younghoe Koo's 29-yard field goal as time expired, and Atlanta defeated mistake-prone New Orleans on Sunday after allowing the Saints to wipe out an 18-point, fourth-quarter deficit.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Wide receiver Calvin Ridley will miss at least three games for the Atlanta Falcons after being placed on the reserve/non-football injury list.
The Falcons announced the roster designation on Friday.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Fantasy football fans trying to figure out which Atlanta Falcons wide receiver to plug in for Calvin Ridley should be warned.
The answer may change every week.
With Ridley out for an indefinite period of time while addressing mental health issues, quarterback Matt Ryan is preparing to pass to multiple players in Sunday's game at New Orleans.
ATLANTA (AP) — Calvin Ridley has stepped away from the Atlanta Falcons to deal with mental health issues, leaving behind a team that supports him fully but also must figure out a way to plug a huge hole in the passing game.
ATLANTA (AP) — Matt Ryan had an afternoon to forget Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The 14th-year veteran endured one of his worst days as Atlanta’s quarterback, getting his hand stepped on in the second quarter, throwing for 146 yards on 20 of 27 passing and finishing with a 67.8 passer rating.
Rookie head coaches usually inherit losing teams and are tasked with quickly building a winning culture in the NFL.
If they don’t get it done fast enough, it’s onto the next coach.
There’s no patience in sports, but judging guys before the midpoint of their first season is unfair.
ATLANTA (AP) — Hard to believe Kyle Pitts is a rookie.
The guy looks like he's been around the NFL for years.
Just six games into his pro career, Pitts has already become one of the league's most dynamic weapons for the Atlanta Falcons.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa’s numbers said he merited a different outcome.
These were the stats that the Miami Dolphins’ quarterback posted on Sunday: 32 of 40 passing, 291 yards, four touchdowns.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Matt Ryan fell asleep during Game 6 of the National League Championship Series, and wasn't even aware until waking up Sunday morning that the Atlanta Braves are heading to the World Series.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Matt Ryan is looking to see more growth from the offense when the Atlanta Falcons, refreshed after their bye week, play Sunday at Miami.
Top wide receiver Calvin Ridley's return should help.