Last night I was having a discussion amongst some buddies, and the topic we discussed was the importance of toes. I know this sounds completely random and without any possible relevance. However, in light of the recent injury to Atlanta’s quarterback, Matt Ryan, the toe seems to be of huge relevance and importance.
Right now, the Atlanta Falcons are a disappointing 5-5, and they are hoping to make the playoffs once again. Surprisingly, though, Matt Ryan’s big toe can have a great deal of influence on that hope. When Ryan hurt his big toe against the Bucs today, the Atlanta Falcons’ season could have taken its biggest loss yet.
Of course the seriousness of the injury is not yet determined, and there are no guarantees that Ryan will miss extended time. But, just because of the mere fact that Ryan was not taking snaps for the Falcons against the Bucs, it made me realize how important having Ryan is for this Falcons team. Without Ryan, the Falcons are not a team that most teams will fear offensively. Opposing teams can stack the line in hopes of shutting down the run, and they will allow Chris Redman to try and beat them. With Ryan, though, the Falcons are considered one of the toughest teams in the NFC. Obviously, this year their record does not indicate that, but if the Falcons do sneak into the playoffs as a wild card, there will not be too many teams hoping to play them. They have proven that they are tough, and they can turn it on in any given game.
If Matt Ryan’s toe injury does turn out to be a legitimate concern, the Falcons will need to pull out all the stops if they want to make it to the playoffs. They will need to rely heavily on their running game and their defense, and they will need to have some decent play out of Chris Redman as more of a ”manager” of the offense. Believe me, though, the Falcons are praying that, that is not the case.
As for now, the city of Atlanta is keeping their eyes on one man’s big toe to keep their team’s playoff chances alive. Will the toe let them down? Only time will tell.
