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Surging Falcons brace for Broncos

Nov 11, 2008 - 9:13 PM DENVER (5-4) AT ATLANTA (6-3), 1:00 pm EST

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Falcons were looking for a return to respectability this season. The goals are now considerably higher.

The surprising Falcons continue their push for a playoff berth when they host the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Rookie Matt Ryan has guided Atlanta to two straight wins and four victories in the last five games, including a 34-20 rout over the New Orleans Saints last weekend.

"I think everybody was excited with the win," Ryan said. "Anytime you play against a team of that caliber and walk away with the win, we're excited."

Expected to be in rebuilding mode following a disastrous 4-12 campaign in 2007, the Falcons trail the Carolina Panthers by just one game for the NFC South lead.

"There aren't any surprises in the NFL," Falcons veteran safety Lawyer Milloy said. "If you work hard and play hard, you have a chance in this league. Everybody was like, it's a rebuilding year, it's a rebuilding year. But I'm 35 years old. I don't have time to rebuild."

Ryan, the third overall pick in April's draft, threw for 248 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-23 passing against the Saints. He has not thrown a pick in three of the last four games and posted QB ratings of 138.4 and 134.0 in his last two outings.

But the rookie quarterback insisted his focus is not on the playoffs.

"We've gotten off to a good start," Ryan said. "The biggest thing for me is that I don't think that way. I try to think about it week in and week out and try to pull my weight out there."

Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler certainly has pulled his weight. The third-year quarterback threw for a career-high 447 yards to rally Denver to a 34-30 victory over the Cleveland Browns on November 6.

All three of Cutler's touchdown passes came in the fourth quarter, including an 11-yard scoring pass to Brandon Marshall with 1:14 to play.

The performance was even more impressive without the semblance of a running game. Rookie Ryan Torain and Selvin Young both were injured in the second quarter, leaving fullback Hillis Peyton as the only healthy member of the backfield.

"It was a big, big win for us," Cutler said. "To be down 13 and have an empty backfield and to come back like this, it means a lot."

The Broncos addressed the glaring lack of depth Tuesday, reportedly coming to terms with running back Tatum Bell, a second-round pick in 2004 who played three seasons in Denver.