FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Opposing defensive coordinators no doubt noticed what happened to the Atlanta Falcons and Matt Ryan against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ryan faced pressure all day, absorbing a season-high six sacks and 11 quarterback hits in a 41-17 loss at Pittsburgh. Sometimes, it was pressure off the edge. Sometimes, it was a linebacker and defensive back coming through the middle on a delayed blitz. In total, Ryan saw five-man or more pressure on 17 dropbacks, which marks a season high. On those 17 plays, he completed 7-of-13 passes for 64 yards with no touchdowns, four sacks taken, and a passer rating of 67.