Up-and-down homecoming for Falcons quarterback Ryan

HE THREW A PAIR of touchdown passes in front of dozens of family and friends, but it wasn't quite the homecoming Matt Ryan had hoped for.

His first interception only cost his Falcons a possession.

His second one cost them their best chance at winning the game.

Ryan, a Penn Charter product and an Exton native, led a 4-2 Falcons team into Philadelphia, where the 3-3 Eagles were favored by nine points or so.

Near the end of the third quarter, it was apparent why.

On second down at the Eagles' 1, Ryan badly underthrew Roddy White on a fade route in the end zone. Lito Sheppard turned and made an easy interception.

That ended the Falcons' drive that could have cut the Eagles' lead to three.

"That's obviously frustrating, when you throw an interception on the 1-yard line," Ryan said. "That was just a poor throw. The ball needs to get further outside."

He sounds like a leader.

It also sounds like he has earned loyalty seven starts into his career.

"I've got to knock that ball down," said White, who, in fact, tried so hard to break up the pass that he was flagged for pass interference. "Matt throws it there, I've got to bat that ball down."

It was the low point in an up-and-down day that is typical for a rookie quarterback learning the difference between the NFL and the ACC.

For instance...

Ryan gave away the Falcons' second drive of yesterday's game. On third-and-13 a yard shy of midfield, Ryan locked on White. He incorrectly anticipated White's break to the inside; White broke later than Ryan thought.

Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel sat back, read Ryan and pounced, snaring his third interception of his first Eagles season.

"That guy does a real good job of reading routes," White admitted. "He started 15 yards off me, so he didn't need to backpedal. And he's always looking in the backfield."

Now, Ryan knows.

"It was another day where he's maturing," said veteran linebacker Keith Brooking. "It's a growing process. It was really key for him to take us down there in the fourth quarter with 4 minutes to go and get that touchdown, put us in a position to put the ball back in his hands."

The late drive recalled the sort of series that made Ryan a darkhorse candidate for the Heisman Trophy last year at Boston College. So, of course, did the interceptions — especially the first one, by Samuel.

White saw moments of brilliance from which he predicted eventual "greatness" for Ryan.

In the second quarter, Ryan squeezed a pass between Samuel and Omar Gaither as White crossed in the middle of the field — a pass that initially looked as if it was intercepted by one of the defenders near the Eagles' 40.

White, without regard for bodily harm in that dangerous area of the field, calmly looked it into his hands, then quickly turned upfield and sprinted the remaining 35 yards for a 55-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

They connected again in the fourth quarter, a play that hinted at what Ryan can become. He stepped up in the pocket as it collapsed behind him, saw White streaking along the back of the end zone and fired high and hard. White reached up and snatched it to cut it to 20-14.

A play ruled a muffed punt by the Falcons kept Ryan from completing the comeback try, so Ryan ended on an unhappy note.

Both of the picks hurt more than the shot Ryan absorbed on the Falcons' third possession.

Trent Cole got free as Ryan released a pass and drove Ryan into the ground. Ryan landed hard on his back. His head bounced on the Linc's turf.

He lay there for a few seconds, his back arched, jarred. He rolled over, gained his feet, crouched back down for a few moments as Cole's 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty was assessed, but remained in the game.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. It was a good hit," Ryan said afterward.

The drive died three plays later, near the end of the first quarter. Ryan exited and sat on the bench, attended to by trainers and staff. Backup Chris Redman began to warm up.

With a disdainful, almost disgusted look, Ryan rose from the bench, finished his drink, set the cup on a table, walked to where Redman was playing catch...and politely took Redman's place.

After all, it is his team. *