How many times have you seen a rookie quarterback come into the NFL, start the opening game in his rookie season, and actually have success?  For Matt Ryan, he didn't really have much of a choice.  With the quarterback woes the Atlanta Falcons have had ever since the Michael Vick fiasco, the one thing on their mind in the 2008 NFL draft was to get a quarterback who can start NOW.  Ryan, selected third overall, has been the answer to the Falcon faithfuls prayers.

It was an interesting scenario as Ryan and the Falcons both knew he had fairly big shoes to fill due to all the Vick supporters in and around the Atlanta area, but could he really flop as bad as the Falcon's other quarterback choices?  Joey Harrington...led the Lions for a few years, need I say more?  Byron Leftwich...mediocre at best in Jacksonville.  Chris Redman...who?  It turns out the guy most haven't heard of was the better of the three.  Now think about the aforementioned quarterbacks for a second and honestly tell me if the rookie had anywhere to go but up.

Matt Ryan hasn't just stepped into the starter role to hold the job until someone else comes along either.  This guy has led the Falcons (with the help of a hellacious running game) to three wins in his first five games and, with the way the NFC South Division is shaping up, has a chance to take Atlanta to the post season for the first time in four years.  Let me break it down.  Atlanta is 3-2 as of Sunday.  They face a Chicago Bears team with the same record at home who also has a beaten down secondary, leaving the ball in Ryan's hands.  They are 0-2 in the division, but they have three home games out of four division games left and they're only one game back in the standings.  Besides those four games, they also have four games against the Raiders, the Vikings, the Rams, and the surprisingly stumbling Chargers.  If Atlanta can take care of their own, this week and in the key games to come, the most unlikely team to be in the playoffs will be suiting up in January.

As for Matt Ryan, his numbers are not shocking by a long shot.  With only four touchdowns thrown, 60 percent of his passes completed, and three interceptions, it's not his statistics that stand out.  It's the moxy and poise he shows after just five games.  So far he has made sound choices, good reads, and, most importantly, has not lost the game for Atlanta.  In all truthfulness, it's highly likely the Falcon franchise has found their answer to a gloomy question, and it's one that is going to be there for many years to come.

In case you forgot, Ryan has a history of taking over games and leading his team to victory. Don't be surprised to see it happen like this more often: