Matt Ryan can prove he’s MVP against Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Pro Football Writers of America selected quarterback Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons as the NFL’s 2016 Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year.

Ryan is the first Falcons’ player to earn PFWA’s MVP award in its 43-year history and is a top candidate for the Associated Press MVP Award, which was voted on before the playoffs and will be announced during Super Bowl week.

Ryan already has been voted to the 2016 Associated Press All-Pro team and the Pro Bowl. It was his first All-Pro selection and fourth Pro Bowl honor.

Ryan has passed for a franchise-record 4,944 yards with 38 touchdowns and only seven interceptions while completing a career-high 69.9 percent of his passes.

The Falcons earned the NFC’s No. 2 seed are set to face the Green Bay Packers in the NFC championship game Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

Ryan will face quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Packers, another MVP candidate, who has led Green Bay to eight straight victories since the Pack was 4-6.

“I don’t specifically have to go out on the field and defend Aaron (Rodgers) which is a good thing for us,” Ryan said. “It’s fun. I’ve played against him a number of times and I’ve gotten to know him throughout the years. He’s a good friend and I respect him so much because he’s such a great competitor.”

Rodgers knocked Ryan and the Falcons out of the playoffs as the No. 6 seed back in Jan. 2011 with a 48-21 pasting. The Falcons took a switchblade to a gunfight and couldn’t keep up in what turned out to be a shootout.

“Regardless of the situation, he goes out there, competes hard and plays really well week in and week out,” Ryan said. “He’s had an unbelievable year.

“For me, I think once we get into it it’s about trying to do the best we can against their defense and focusing on how well we can play. At the end of the day, that’s where my focus will be at on Sunday.”

Ryan has studied Rodgers’ ability to make plays out of the pocket.

“He makes a lot of really good plays and he’s not just been doing it last week,” Ryan said. “He’s been doing it for his entire career. He’s a great player. There is no question about it and has made some great plays throughout his career.”

Ryan carries the burden of having not taken his team to the Super Bowl. He’s not sure if that will be required to be considered in Rodgers’ class.

“I don’t know,” Ryan said. “It’s not really for me to decide. I don’t think about it all that much. I think one thing I’ve learned throughout my career is that if you sit there and you’re worrying about all these things that don’t make a difference for this week, your focus is not where it should be.

“Would it be nice to do that and all those things that you mentioned? Absolutely, but it’s not going to help us Sunday. At the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is trying to focus all of my energy and my mental preparation toward what’s going to have us play our best Sunday.

“I don’t think about those things all that often and certainly not this time of the year.”