Will we see Matt Ryan playing tonight as the Atlanta Falcons take on the Miami Dolphins in Week 2 of the NFL preseason? After he missed Week 1 of the 2021 preseason, will Ryan make his debut in Week 2, or will we have to wait until Week 3 or even the regular season to see him?
Is Matt Ryan playing tonight?
D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the Falcons will save their starters for the final preseason game. So yes, it is possible we could see Ryan play more than a single snap in the preseason. That may not be in Atlanta’s best interest at the moment because…
The Falcons have concerns along their offensive line
The Falcons will be holding their breath this season when Ryan has the ball in their hands. Over the past three years, Ryan has been sacked 131 times. That offensive line is looking even rockier in 2021. Alex Mack departed this offseason, and the line has struggled with injuries during training camp thus far.
Ryan has missed just three games in his NFL career
It is not abnormal for NFL teams to protect their starters in the preseason. However, often the players being protected are ones who have a level of injury risk, either in their career or in the way they play the game.
Ryan is not one of those players. He is not an overly mobile quarterback, which would subject him to hits outside of the pocket on scrambles. Equally, Ryan has been extremely healthy in his career. He missed two games in his second season back in 2009. He then went nine seasons without missing a single game.
Even then, when Ryan did miss another game, it was just a single game in the 2019 season. Ryan missed the Week 8 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks with an ankle injury. However, following a bye week, he was back under center in Week 10.
Ben Rolfe is a Senior Managing Editor at Pro Football Network and is also a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA). You can find him on Twitter @BenRolfePFN.
