Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan will enter the playoffs on a hot streak.
In the final four games of the regular season, Ryan has completed 81 of 125 passes(65 percent) for 1,023 yards with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions with a passer rating of 116.9.
Ryan unleashed a dazzling array of offense in less than two quarters before being removed from the 45-24 rout of Tampa Bay Sunday.
Ryan completed 6-of-9 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns to help the Falcons build a 42-0 lead
"I thought we started off as a team very fast today; offense, defense and special teams did exactly what we needed to do early on and then finished it off in the second half," Ryan said. "We took care of the business that we wanted to today."
Ryan wanted the offense to get in a little rhythm before entering the playoffs.
"We had opportunities the week before; we just didn't make those plays," Ryan said. "Today, we came out, we made the plays and that's what we need to do moving forward. I think everybody's confidence is very high heading into next week."
Ryan was elated that the Falcons were able to get their running game untracked.
"We're at our best when we can run the football effectively and throw the ball effectively, so it was good for us today," Ryan said. "I thought our offensive line did a great job opening up some holes and our backs ran really, really hard and really effectively all day."
The Falcons were three of five on their red-zone opportunities against the Buccaneers. They scored two touchdowns and one field.
The offense has blown hot and cold in the red zone this season. They had 59 trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line and scored points 51 times. They have scored 30 touchdowns and a total of 273 points.
"That's something that we wanted to improve on from the last couple of weeks and something we certainly have focused on, worked hard on in practice and we finally kind of executed at the level we wanted to today on the field," Ryan said. "So that bodes well for us heading into next week."
The Falcons wanted to score touchdowns instead of settling for field goals.
"I think just heightened awareness and focus," Ryan said. "We've been very good at moving the ball, really the last half of the season, we've moved the ball really effectively between the 20s.
"Some weeks we've been good in the red zone, some weeks we haven't. But I think the attention to detail when you get inside the 20, it's heightened because the field shrinks and you have to be on top of your game and I think everybody really has done a better job of that."
