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Falcons QB Ryan in spotlight against Lions

Sep 7, 2008 - 12:50 PM Detroit at Atlanta, 1:00 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Matt Ryan era is set to get under way.

Hoping to turn the page on a dismal season on and off the field, the Falcons will start rookie Ryan at quarterback for Sunday's season opener vs. the Detroit Lions.

It was only a matter of time before Ryan, the No. 3 overall pick, was handed the keys to Atlanta's offense. The time is now.

Following a disastrous 2007 season that saw standout quarterback Michael Vick plead guilty to federal dogfighting charges and first-year coach Bobby Petrino bolt the team after just 13 games, Atlanta desperately needs to rebuild its tattered image.

Making Ryan the new face of the franchise is a major step. Ryan threw for 4,507 yards and 31 touchdowns at Boston College, but his poise and leadership qualities helped first-year coach Mike Smith entrust him with the starting job.

"I think that Matt has done a very good job in bonding with his teammates. We are watching everything he does from in the chow hall to how he interacts with the players," Smith said. "We feel he gives us the best opportunity to win. At the end of the day, winning is what we really want to do."

Winning is something that was a rarity for the Falcons a year ago. Atlanta tumbled to a 4-12 mark in 2007 and, after the Vick fiasco, was reduced to starting journeyman Chris Redman - who had been out of football for three seasons - down the stretch.

"I will keep doing what I have done to get to this point," Ryan said. "I think I have really got a lot of work to do and a lot of improving to do. It is a good start."

The Falcons upgraded the backfield by signing free agent Michael Turner, a longtime understudy for LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego. Roddy White also emerged as an elite receiver last season with 83 receptions for 1,202 yards and six touchdowns.

The defense remains a huge question mark, having yielded at least 28 points to the final seven opponents last season.

Whether the Lions can take advantage of that defense is another matter. Detroit failed to muster more than 14 points in four of its final seven regular-season games, helping to end the tenure of offensive coordination Mike Martz.

Quarterback Jon Kitna brashly predicted a 10-win season a year ago and he appeared to be on the mark after the Lions got off to a 6-2 record, but they lost seven of their last eight to finish 7-9.

Determined to add balance to the pass-happy offense Martz had installed, Detroit drafted rookie running back Kevin Smith, who fell 62 yards of former Lions great Barry Sanders' NCAA career rushing record.

The team also made another move to address the backfield on Tuesday by signing Rudi Johnson, who was a final-round cut of the Cincinnati Bengals.