Inside The Matchup: Tom Brady vs. Matt Ryan

Thursday, February 02, 2017

Joe Calabro, GoLocalWorcester Sports Team

Matt Ryan

Tom Brady and Matt Ryan will face off in the Super Bowl on Sunday. They are also the lead candidates for the NFL’s MVP award, which will be announced on Super Bowl eve.

“Tom has had an unbelievable year, played extremely well, he has been extremely efficient, you know a lot of touchdowns, very few turnovers, just played really really good football and he has been that way for a long time,” said Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in his press conference.

Following a four-game suspension, Brady threw 28 touchdown passes compared to only two interceptions in the regular season for a quarterback rating of 112. He led the Patriots to a 14-2 record.

During the Patriots playoff run, Brady has thrown five touchdown passes and two interceptions for a rating of 99.

Ryan Enters Super Bowl Red Hot

Like Brady, Ryan is also coming in with a hot hand.

During the Falcons playoff run, Ryan carries a quarterback rating of 132.6 with seven touchdown passes and no interceptions. During the regular season he threw 38 touchdown passes compared to only seven interceptions.

Ryan also has the ability to extend plays with his legs, though not in the same fashion of an Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson. Ryan has six rushes for 20 yards and a rushing touchdown in the playoffs, but can move to all sides of the pocket and even outside of if he has to.

“It's hard to draw up some defense that's going to fool him and he's going to have no idea. He knows pretty much everything. I'm sure with the extended time they have, he's seen every defense we have during the season. He'll be well-prepared,” said Patriots safety Devin McCourty.

If Ryan wins the Super Bowl, he will be the first-ever quarterback to win a Super Bowl with a losing record in the playoffs.

Brady vs Ryan

Brady and Ryan have only played each other twice in their career, those meetings coming in 2013 and 2009.

In the 2009 meeting, Brady threw for 277 yards and one touchdown, while Ryan threw for 199 yards. The Patriots won the game 26-10 at Gillette Stadium.

In the 2013 meeting inside Atlanta's Georgia Dome, Brady threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns, while Ryan threw for 421 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.

The Patriots held on to win the game 30-23.

For more on the matchup, GoLocal teams with Graphiq.

Related Slideshow: The Patriots 8 Super Bowl Appearances

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January 26, 1986

Super Bowl XX

Bears 46, Patriots 10

The Patriots grabbed a 3-0 lead on a field goal from kicker Tony Franklin, but the game would be all Chicago from there.

The Bears would score the next 44 straight points helped by rushing touchdowns from Jim McMahon and William Perry to take a 44-3 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Bears would go on to win easily 46-10.

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January 26, 1997

Super Bowl XXXI

Packers 35, Patriots 21

Trailing 27-14, New England's Curtis Martin rushed 16 yards to the endzone to bring the Patriots within one score, 27-21, in the third quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, Green Bay's Desmond Howard would return a kick off 99 yards to the endzone to seal the Packer 35-21 win over the Patriots.

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February 3, 2002

Super Bowl XXXVI

Patriots 20, Rams 17

Nothing beats the first time, and the Patriots won their first Super Bowl by beating the Rams in New Orleans on a kick by Adam Vinatieri.

The most memorable part of this game, other than the kick, was Tom Brady spiking the ball, catching it with one hand and giving it to the ref.

Tom Brady was named Super Bowl MVP.

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February 1, 2004

Super Bowl XXXVIII

Patriots 32, Panthers 29

In a high scoring affair, 37 points total in the 4th quarter, it was Adam Vinatieri who gave the Patriots a 32-29 win on a 41-yard field goal with 4 seconds left.

The Patriots bounced back from missing the playoffs the season before to win their second Super Bowl in franchise history and the second in three years.

Tom Brady was named Super Bowl MVP.

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February 6, 2005

Super Bowl XXXIX

Patriots 24, Eagles 21

The New England Patriots were crowned dynasty after beating the Eagles, winning their third Super Bowl in 4 seasons.

Rodney Harrison sealed the win with an interception of Donovan McNabb and Adam Vinatieri had another clutch field goal to extend the Patriots lead to 24-14 in the 4th quarter.

Deion Branch was named Super Bowl MVP.

Relive the Game Below

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February 3, 2008

Super Bowl XLII

Giants 17, Patriots 14

Trailing 10-7 in the fourth quarter, Tom Brady found Randy Moss in the back of the endzone to give the Patriots a 14-10 lead with 2:42 left to play in the game.

On the Giants next possession, Eli Manning escaped a sack on fourth down and found David Tyree, who caught the ball on top of his helmet for a first down.

With 35 seconds left, Manning found Plaxico Burress in the endzone to give the Giants a 17-14 lead and the win. The Giants ended the Patriots undefeated season.

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February 5, 2012

Super Bowl XLVI

Giants 21, Patriots 17

Tom Brady hit tight end Aaron Hernandez for a third quarter touchdown to put the Patriots up 17-9 with 11:20 left in the third quarter.

Following two Giants field goals from Lawrence Tynes, the Patriots held a 17-15 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth, a dropped pass by Wes Welker gave the Giants the ball back and they would cash in. Manning would hand the ball to Ahmad Bradshaw with 57 seconds left who would run six yards into the endzone to get the 21-17 win.

Their second Super Bowl win over the Patriots.

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February 1, 2015

Super Bowl XLIX

Patriots 28, Seahawks 24

Rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler picked off Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson on the one-yard line to seal the Patriots fourth Super Bowl.

Prior to that, the Patriots trailed by 10 points, 24-14, in the fourth quarter before Tom Brady led the Patriots offense to 14 straight points, hitting Julian Edelman for the game winner.

Tom Brady was named Super Bowl MVP.

Relive Malcolm Butler's Heroics Below