FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Rather than give Matt Ryan a few games to watch from the sideline, the Falcons decided on Sunday to throw the rookie into the fire as their starter.

"Everything that you get in this game you've earned, whether it be a touchdown, a win, whatever it is," Ryan said. "In some sense, it is satisfying in that light, but trust me, there's a lot of work ahead, and I know that probably just as much as everybody around here. There's going to be some ups and downs, but you've just got to stay mentally tough and grind through it. That's where my mind-set is right now.

First-year Atlanta coach Mike Smith said the No. 3 pick in the draft outperformed Chris Redman, Joey Harrington and D.J. Shockley on the field and in the classroom.