Ryan’s strong performance sends Falcons to conference final

Associated Press

ATLANTA

Matt Ryan hardly resembled a quarterback who can’t win the big games.

No, this looked more like an MVP.

Returning to the postseason for the first time in four years, Ryan threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Atlanta Falcons past the Seattle Seahawks 36-20 in the divisional round Saturday.

The Falcons are headed to the NFC championship game for only the fourth time in their 51-year history, and they’re on quite a roll with Matty Ice at the helm.

He finished up to chants of “MVP! MVP! MVP” from a raucous Georgia Dome crowd that gave the Seahawks a dose of what it’s like for opposing teams at CenturyLink Field.

“It was pretty cool considering the circumstances, too, with the game in hand,” Ryan said. “That’s got to be as loud as it’s ever been in here.”

Ryan turned in another dynamic performance in the best season of his career, shaking off a 1-4 record in his previous playoff appearances.

In an interesting twist, his lone postseason victory before Saturday was a 30-28 thriller over the Seahawks in the divisional round of the 2012 season.

Make it 2-0 over Seattle.

After the Seahawks zipped down the field for a touchdown on the opening possession, Atlanta’s young defense largely shut down Russell Wilson & Co. the rest of the way.

Ryan and the high-scoring Falcons took it from there — getting a huge boost from a holding penalty that wiped out an 80-yard punt return by Devin Hester.

Ryan hooked up with Julio Jones on a 7-yard touchdown and Tevin Coleman for a 14-yard score before finishing off the Seahawks with a 3-yard toss to Mohamed Sanu in the corner of the end zone with just under 4 minutes remaining.

Atlanta (12-5) moves on to face either the Dallas Cowboys or the Green Bay Packers, who meet today in the NFC’s other divisional-round game.

After a 26-24 loss at Seattle during the regular season, the Falcons showed off all their offensive weapons against the Legion of Boom.

Eight players caught passes from Ryan, including running back Devonta Freeman on a 53-yard play that included a dazzling fake on replacement free safety Steven Terrell right in the middle of the field.

The Seahawks (11-6-1) sure missed Earl Thomas, out for the season with a broken leg.

“It’s just really hard to think it’s over,” said coach Pete Carroll, whose team couldn’t follow up a dominating win over Detroit in the opening round.