Ryan has started every Falcons game for almost a decade
Thursday 24 October 2019 22:49, UK
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan sat out practice again on Thursday with an ankle injury, putting his streak of 154 consecutive starts in serious jeopardy.
Ryan sustained a right ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He left the game after being evaluated by the team's medical staff on the sidelines and did not return.
Falcons coach Dan Quinn said Monday that the team believes Ryan could return towards the end of the week, but he stopped short of saying the veteran will play Sunday when Atlanta (1-6) faces the visiting Seattle Seahawks (5-2).
The 34-year-old Ryan completed 16 of 27 passes for 159 yards with no touchdowns and an interception before the injury.
On the season, the 12th-year veteran is 202-of-285 passing for 2,170 yards and has thrown 15 touchdowns, tied for the NFL lead with Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Russell Wilson of Seattle. He has been intercepted eight times.
Ryan, a four-time Pro Bowl selection and the 2016 league MVP, has started every game for the Falcons since December 20, 2009.
If Ryan is unable to play this week, Atlanta will start veteran Matt Schaub. Schaub, 38, completed 6 of 6 passes for 65 yards and a touchdown after Ryan left last week's game.
Schaub last started a game in 2015 when he was a member of the Baltimore Ravens.
