Falcons vs Panthers: Who was the offensive player of the game?

The Falcons offense is still not performing to their capabilities. Relying on Younghoe Koo to punch in 4 field goals is incredibly frustrating, but the unit still was able to move the ball effectively even if they didn’t consistently hit pay dirt. Let’s look at how deserves consideration for the best of the game.

Julio Jones

It’s amazing that Julio can put up yet another 100 yard game and it feels so ... pedestrian for him. With 7 catches for 137 yards, the Panthers had few answers for the still dominant future hall of famer. For all the talk of Calvin Ridley being a true WR1 this year, Julio reminded us on Thursday night that he’s not done just yet.

Matt Ryan

Ryan’s stats were a bit nutty in this one. He went 21 for 30 with 281 yards and 1 interception - a poorly thrown ball intended for Ridley. Yet, he added 6 runs for 27 yards (a nice 4.5 average) and a touchdown that even the announcers couldn’t believe. More importantly, Ryan kept drives going, converting several long third downs in the process. He’s looked far more comfortable lately.

Brian Hill

While Todd Gurley struggled to get anything going, Hill made the most out of his opportunities. Carrying the rock 11 times for 55 yards and 2 receptions for 9 yards is not a game changing set of stats, but it’s good productivity from your number 2 back.

The offensive line

These guys don’t often get the love they deserve, but they played fairly well in this one. In total, this unit has really solidified over the last several games, giving Ryan a good pocket consistently and sometimes hitting their assignments properly in the running game. With Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary both playing particularly well, the future of this unit looks promising.

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