Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons look to improve playoff record

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Quarterback Matt Ryan doesn’t feel there’s any added playoff pressure on him after a three-year hiatus.

The NFC South champion Atlanta Falcons (11-5) will face the highest seed to advance from the NFC wild-card round at 4:35 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Georgia Dome.

Ryan, who was drafted in 2008, took the Falcons to the playoffs in four of his first five seasons in the league. The team has missed the playoffs for the last three seasons before earning the No. 2 seed this time.

Ryan has a 1-4 record in the playoffs as the Falcons were knocked out each time by the team that went on to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Green Bay and the New York Giants went on to win Super Bowl titles, while Arizona and San Francisco lost in the Super Bowl.

“I don’t think so,” Ryan said. “We’ve won in the playoffs before. I don’t really worry about that too much. For me, it’s about how do we get the one win next week, whoever it’s going to be against. I think putting any more pressure on yourself, other than that, is a waste of time.”

The Falcons reached the NFC championship game after the 2012 season. Ryan and the slightly-favored Falcons were knocked out of the wild-card round after the 2008 season by Arizona.

After missing the playoffs in 2009, the Falcons were the No. 1 seed after the 2010 season, but were upset by Green Bay, 48-21, at the Georgia Dome. Green Bay went on to beat Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.

Following the 2011 season, the Giants called out the Falcons offensive linemen as “dirt bags” and shut down Ryan and the offense in a 24-2 rout. The Giants went on to beat New England in the Super Bowl.

After the 2012 season, the Falcons defeated Seattle in the divisional round after blowing a 10-point lead. In the championship game, the Falcons’ blew a 17-point lead and lost to the 49ers, 28-24.

“I think that’s one of the things that I’ve learned,” Ryan said. “All of the extra-curricular pressure, the outside noise that people talk about, doesn’t make a difference.

“What makes a difference is how well we play. In order to play well, we need to practice well.”

Ryan noted that the Falcons could win the Super Bowl without playing a down outdoors.

“I think any quarterback would be lying to you if they said they didn’t like playing a dome where you are going to have good conditions to throw the ball,” Ryan said. “I think that’s a good thing for us. We are ready to play wherever, but obviously, playing indoors as a quarterback is always pretty nice.”

The fact that Falcons coach Dan Quinn has been to two Super Bowls as Seattle’s defensive coordinator helps his message in the locker room.

“I think that talk of keeping it normal, keeping the routine normal and based on what we’ve done up until this point, I think that’s really true,” Ryan said on his radio show on 680 the Fan. “Dan talks all the time about the way that we prepare, the way that we practice, the way that we compete, makes everything seem real normal when we get in the games. I think that’s true. I think guys have done that.

“I think the approach and knowing that Dan knows how to get it done, he’s been there and has gone through that process before makes a difference. He understands what it takes, guys believe in that and trust in his process.”