Helter Skelter » Our writers debate whether the results of the fan po

ll match reality."There will be surprises in these polls as we roll along Calvin Ridley Womens Jersey , no doubt, but there wasn’t one when we presented you with a lengthy poll covering the best first rounder in Falcons history.As of Thursday afternoon, Matt Ryan is running away with it, having pulled down 45% of the vote overall. Julio Jones is second with 28%, followed by Deion Sanders (14%), Tommy Nobis (4%), Steve Bartkowski (2%), and Claude Humphrey and Mike Kenn (1% each). There’s undoubtedly an element of recency bias here—Nobis was one of the great players of his era and Kenn is a Hall of Fame-caliber tackle—but I don’t think anyone should be surprised by the results. Now that they’re in, The Falcoholic team has a few thoughts on their own personal best ever picks in the first round, and whether you guys nailed it with your votes. Dave Choate - Matt RyanIt’s tempting to push hard for Kenn here, given that he’s got an astonishingly great career to fall back on and is snubbed far too often, but Ryan is still the obvious pick here. He’s led this team to one of their two Super Bowl berths and did virtually everything he could to get them over the hump in that game, he owns every franchise passing mark, and he’s still going strong at arguably the most important position on the football field. I’d push hard for Nobis and Kenn to be much closer to Julio Jones at ,2# but you guys got this one.Kevin Knight - Matt RyanThese types of things are always going to suffer from recency bias, but I think Matt Ryan is the clear choice regardless. A league MVP and the best franchise QB the Falcons have ever seen—it’s simply impossible to beat that. If we’re talking pure talent, maybe I could hear an argument for Julio Jones or Deion Sanders. But at the end of the day, with positional value taken into account, Ryan is the clear choice.Adnan Ikic - Matt RyanEvery single name in that poll deserves to be praised, but Matt Ryan is the magnum opus of Falcons first rounders. The only Falcon to ever win the MVP award Youth Calvin Ridley Jersey , he’s been the poster child of the greatest era in Atlanta Falcons history, and has re-written the franchise record books numerous times. Deion Sanders was fantastic, but he didn’t have the longevity or franchise impact (having played for the Falcons for just five years) that Ryan has had (11 years and counting). I do think Tommy Nobis and Claude Humphrey deserve a little bit more of the vote, but I understand why things shook out the way they did, with not as many people having had the pleasure of watching them play (myself included).Cory Woodroof - Julio Jones Y’know, every round table needs a contrarian, so I’ll argue Jones was the best first-round pick. I think Matt Ryan is a stupendous franchise leader and a deserving pick for perhaps the best Atlanta Falcon ever, but I think “best first rounder” can be a flexible definition. Jones’ drafting, in and of itself, is the most interesting thing the Falcons have ever done at the NFL Draft in their 50-plus years of existence. Getting Julio here involved a dramatic trade-up for a superstar talent for a team that already had a top receiver in Roddy White. It was the surge of adrenaline a languished team needed to get close to a Super Bowl in 2012, and while we can debate how it affected the team’s draft capital in the years to come, getting the Jet in Atlanta was a masterpiece the team is likely never to replicate. Plus, if we’re really doing some comparisons, Jones might be the best talent of his generation, only bolstering the brilliance of moving up to get him. He’s my pick. CLEVELAND (AP) — Quietly, steadily and with little fanfare, the Atlanta Falcons have gotten off the ground.They’re flying again — under the radar.Despite numerous injuries at vital positions, the Falcons have shaken off a 1-4 start and carry a three-game winning streak into Sunday’s matchup with the Browns (2-6-1). Cleveland has changed coaches, dropped four in a row and is trying not to let another season spiral completely out of control.The Falcons (4-4) are coming off their best performance this season, a well-rounded 38-14 thrashing of the Washington Redskins that has pushed them back into contention in the wild-card race. Atlanta coach Dan Quinn said the key to the team’s turnaround has been persistence.“The main thing for us was the message to be real consistent Calvin Ridley Men Jersey , to stay the course,” Quinn said this week. “Although we got knocked down, defensively especially from the communication standpoint, we had to work hard to increase on that. There might be some new voices leading the way. We just tried to stay consistent with the guys. Make sure that we knew what we were doing was right and we had to do what we did better.”Nobody’s doing it better than Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who is playing like he did as the league’s MVP in 2016. Ryan has thrown 19 touchdown passes, only three interceptions, and is completing 71 percent of his passes. The 33-year-old leads the NFL with 335.6 yards passing per game, and he recently went 213 attempts between interceptions.Matty Ice is on fire.“He really is playing well. He is executing very well,” said Browns interim coach and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. “You can see the comfort zone that he has with (Falcons offensive coordinator) Steve (Sarkisian) in Year 2. That usually is the way that it is in our league.”Last week, Ryan passed for 350 yards and four touchdowns, one to star receiver Julio Jones, who ended a 12-game scoreless drought and finished with seven catches for 121 yards.Cleveland’s defense will get another stiff test one week after dealing with Kansas City’s high-flying aerial circus. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs scored 34 in three quarters before coasting through the final 15 minutes.Williams knows Ryan’s capabilities after facing him twice a season while he was defensive coordinator in New Orleans. Back then, Williams could take chances and blitz a young Ryan. Those tricks don’t work as well on a savvy veteran.“I look at it as an older quarterback — you start to get into the double-digit years, plus years and stuff — the influence of whoever is coordinating him and whoever is coaching him, he is having some say in some things and doing some really, really good things,” Williams said. “He is very accurate. Our work is going to be cut out for us. You can’t fool those kinds of guys that many times.”BROWNS DOWNCleveland’s task of stopping Ryan, Jones and Co. got harder when starting linebacker Christian Kirksey and cornerback E.J. Gaines were lost to season-ending injuries.The Browns should have rookie cornerback Denzel Ward and safety/corner Damarious Randall back from injuries. Randall may draw the assignment of covering Jones, who presents problems with his size and speed.“Big, fast Color Rush Calvin Ridley Jersey , strong. I mean, you name it,” Randall said when asked to describe Jones. “He’s pretty much what you want in your typical receiver nowadays. He’s the guy that if you had to pick a receiver No. 1 in the league, I’m pretty sure probably all 32 teams would pick Julio Jones.”NEW RUNNING BACK TANDEMWith Devonta Freeman on injured reserve for at least six more weeks, Atlanta’s distribution of carries has been unexpectedly balanced. Tevin Coleman is starting, but rookie Ito Smith’s role is expanding. Proof came in last week’s win when Coleman had 13 carries for 88 yards, and Smith added 10 for 60 yards and a touchdown.“He’s gotten better for us every week,” Ryan said of Smith. “I’ve been really impressed with his growth from game to game. It’s really cool to see that from young players, particularly rookies.”GO, BAKER, GOThe Browns want rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield to cut it loose.Mayfield was tough on himself after some missed throws last week, but Williams’ said his message to the No. 1 pick this week was to only look forward.“We have his back. Now, let’s go,” Williams said. “You’re a smart enough quarterback, instinctive enough quarterback. We understand that mistakes are going to be made. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Just cut it loose and play, and make faster and faster decisions.“That’s the No. 1 thing that I’ve tried to convey to him.”PERFECT FITNewly signed defensive end Bruce Irvin is expected to make his Falcons debut. Quinn said Irvin will play as a pass-rush specialist in the nickel package.Quinn was Seattle’s defensive coordinator for two seasons when Irvin played for the Seahawks. That familiarity, along with Irvin’s desire to return to his hometown, helped the Falcons reach a deal when Irvin said he was offered more money elsewhere.“I know Bruce,” Quinn said. “I’ve known him for a long time. He’ll fit in really well with this group.”