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Yesterday was a day of big plays and big milestones and draft implications, giving us plenty to chew over as we head into the holidays. Your 6-9 Atlanta Falcons either gave you a nice present on a Sunday afternoon or dumped a load of coal in your stocking, depending on where you stand, but at least Matt Bosher also grew three sizes that day.
Matt Bosher killed a guy
Okay, Kenjon Barner didn’t die, but Bosher’s absolute destruction of the Carolina running back was the highlight of the day. Our own Matthew Chambers broke it down from the press box at Bank of America Stadium, and we were gloriously reminded of what happens if you attempt to just run by Matthew Dreadbloodlord Bosher.
Matt Ryan jumped over the Moon
With another tidy, efficient day in a season full of them, James Rael wrote that Matt Ryan surpassed Carson Palmer and Vinny Testaverde for career passing yards and leapfrogged Warren Moon for passing touchdowns, putting him just outside the top ten all-time in both measures. This at the tail end of a season where Ryan put up numbers that compare very favorably to what he managed in his MVP-worthy 2019 campaign, no less. A few more seasons of this and his Canton case is going to write itself, especially if we can just get that ring on his finger.
We recapped the action
David Walker took the keys to the drive-by-drive recap and delivered a poignant, thoughtful breakdown of the game that was. He also had some fun doing it, believe it or not.
Calvin Ridley tied a mark that stood since 1980
One more touchdown and the Falcons are going to be getting Calvin Ridley a cake with very cramped writing that says “Congratulations on surpassing Junior Miller and breaking the team record for touchdown receptions by a rookie!” Ridley tied up Miller on Sunday with his ninth scoring grab of the season, a beautiful play that helped put some ugly weeks by the rookie behind him. Ridley’s potential is sky-high, especially once those drops stop happening.
The Falcons are 6-9 and #10
Draft implications, right? The Falcons went from #6 to #10 after their win against Carolina, and depending on how they fare against the Buccaneers next week, they could jump up a handful of spots or move back even further. The Falcons have a pretty solid recent track record in the first round, which is some kind of comfort, but there’s plenty of fans this morning who feel like a better present would have been an L and a shot at a top five selection. Cheery thoughts, eh?