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FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Matt Ryan made it all look easy at the beginning of his NFL career.As a rookie, he guided the Atlanta Falcons to the playoffs. For the first five years of his career, he never experienced a losing season, a stretch that included two division titles and a Super Bowl near-miss.But, at age 31 and coming off the teams third straight non-winning season, Ryan finds himself at a bit of a crossroads.The quarterback known as Matty Ice still has the full confidence of his coaches and teammates, but a question keeps popping up around the city: Is he the right guy to lead the Falcons to their first championship?Matt is a guy whos been on a mission since the season ended, said Dan Quinn, the teams second-year coach.Ryan is always reticent about looking at the big picture, and hes not about to change that perspective.Still, its clear hes extremely driven to improve on the last three years.I think every year you have a great sense of urgency because you just never know, you never know how things are going to shake out, Ryan said Wednesday, looking ahead to the season opener against NFC South rival Tampa Bay.Obviously, we won a lot of games my first five years, and that hasnt been the case the last three, but none of that matters. What matters is this season. For me, is there extra motivation? I think your motivation continues to build the longer you play in your career. I think you become more and more motivated to be great, to play at a high level and to win more games.A year ago, he never seemed to find his comfort zone with new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. Even with one of the leagues best receivers in Julio Jones, Ryan threw only 21 touchdown passes (the lowest since his rookie year in 2008), was picked off 16 times (the second-highest total of his career) and wound up with a rating of 89.0 (his worst since 2009).That put him 20th in the NFL, right between Oaklands Derek Carr and Miamis Ryan Tannehill. In other words, not exactly an elite quarterback neighborhood -- especially for someone who got a $103 million contract extension three years ago.There was plenty of speculation about Shanahans future after the Falcons squandered a 5-0 start last season, finishing 8-8 to miss the playoffs for the third year in a row.But Shanahan is back for his second season, and Ryan expects a much more cohesive relationship.I think a lot was made about a little, Ryan said. Anytime youre not winning a bunch of games, youre always looking to see what you can do to be better.What made last years performance really stand out -- and not in a good way -- was a perplexing series of turnovers.Ryan was picked off four times in the red zone, something you just dont expect from a seasoned quarterback who supposedly spends as much time in the film room as anyone. He also lost five fumbles.The thing that we got in trouble with as an offense last year was turnovers, Quinn said. That part of our game was a significant one. We performed well in a lot of areas, a lot of areas. We played extremely well on third down ... we ran it well, we had explosive plays, but we didnt take care of the ball well as a group.Ryan knows hes got to cut down on the silly mistakes. Theres no need to force a play when hes got weapons around him such as Jones and running back Devonta Freeman.You want to play really aggressive at the quarterback position, Ryan said. The turnovers you want to eliminate are the ones you can control. Theyre going to happen. Thats part of the game. But you want to take back the ones where you feel like you just gave them one.Theres no thought, at least within the organization, of making a dramatic change in course.Ryan is the Falcons undisputed leader, for better or worse.Hes going to be successful, said defensive lineman Jonathan Babineaux, the only longer-tenured member of the Falcons than Ryan. Its just a matter of how successful hes going to be.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Air Max 90 Womens Clearance . Kyle Denbrook, a soccer player from Saint Marys University, took the CIS male athlete of the week honour. Stanley, a fourth-year business administration student from Charlottetown, scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Dalhousie on Friday and tallied again in a 1-0 win over Saint Marys on Sunday. Cheap Air Max 90 Ultra . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. http://www.outletairmax90cheap.com/outlet-air-max-90-essential-cheap.html . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. Discount Air Max 90 Mens .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Cheap Air Max 90 White China . Vokoun departed practice on Saturday morning after discovering swelling in his thigh. He was taken to a local hospital where the clot was revealed. The club announced the surgery following a 5-3 exhibition loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The young Seattle Mariners are glad to be going home after a solid road trip. Joe Saunders pitched seven efficient innings and Nick Franklin and Justin Smoak each homered to lift the Mariners to a 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. Seattle won four of six on its brief road swing, taking two of three against both Texas and Cincinnati. "It was a real good road trip," Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. "You play Texas team that has 50 wins on the road and here the same thing. Its fun to see the light come on with the younger guys." Franklin hit Arroyos 10th pitch of the game 380 feet into the right field seats for his sixth home run of the season and second in the first inning in three games. He hit a two-run homer on Friday off of Mike Leake, also in the first inning. Smoak extended the lead to 3-0 with a two-run drive into the left field seats on the first pitch he saw from Arroyo with two outs in the third inning. The 378-foot shot, which followed Kyle Seagers one-out walk, was Smoaks seventh. The Mariners got key home runs in the first inning of all three games. Franklin hit a two-run home run off Mike Leake on Friday. Kyle Seager hit a two-run homer off Mat Latos Saturday. Franklins solo home run Sunday got Seattle off to a fast start. "I was down two strikes just trying to make contact the best I can," said Franklin, the Mariners first pick in the 2009. The second basemans contract was selected from Tacoma on May 27. Smoak added to the lead to allow the veteran Saunders room to work. "Smoak is one of those that the light is coming on. To drive the ball the other way, shows he is getting better," Wedge said. Smoak is more concerned with driving in runners in scoring position than home runs. "Its been dreadful getting runners home from scoring position," Smoak said. "Thats number one for me. I feel great at the plate but it I need to get those guys across home plate." The third-year first baseman was hitting .133 with runners in scoring position when the game started. A day after the Reds scored 13 runs, they managed just six hits and a run off Saunders. The left-hander allowed only two base runners to reach third in the first six innings and retired 11 consecutive batters before Chris Heisey doubled into the left field corner with one out in the fifth inning. Saunders (7-8) walked none and struck out two while winning back-to-back starts forr the first time this season.dddddddddddd "I felt good," Saunders said. "They (Reds) have some guys that can hurt you so you have to keep the ball down," Saunders said. Charlie Furbush pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and Tom Wilhelmsen was perfect in the ninth for his 18th save, helping the Mariners improve to 10-2 against the Reds since interleague play began in 1997. The Reds went down in order in six of their nine innings. The Reds broke up the shutout bid in the seventh with back-to-back one-out doubles by Todd Frazier and Heisey before Saunders finished his day by getting Ryan Hanigan and pinch-hitter Derrick Robinson to ground out. "Heisey hit a good pitch," Saunders said. "(Pitching coach) Carl (Willis) came out and just said, refocus and keep the ball down. Thats what I did. I used my sinker." Bronson Arroyo (7-7) overcame a 32-pitch first inning to complete six, allowing five hits and three runs with one walk and six strikeouts. He retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. Neither Arroyo nor his manager Dusty Baker were surprised by the show of power by the youthful Mariners. "It didnt surprise me," Arroyo said. "They had a bunch of unknown guys. We dont see a lot of the American League, especially the West. They came out and hit the ball out of the ballpark." "We knew coming in that that would be a key," Baker said. "Home runs are a big part of their offence. We couldnt get anything going. We hit the ball a lot harder than the scorebook showed. We didnt have a lot to show for it." NOTES: Franklins home run was the club-record 235th allowed by Arroyo in his eight seasons with the Reds. He went into the game tied with former LHP Tom Browning for the record. ... It was the Mariners 22nd first-inning homer this season, most in the majors. ... Raul Ibanez extended his hitting streak to 12 games (18 for 50, .360) with a first-inning single to left. ... The Reds left after their 4-2 homestand on a seven-game road trip, starting with three at Milwaukee. ... RHP Homer Bailey, who threw a no-hitter against the Giants on Tuesday, will try to match Johnny Vander Meers 1938 feat of no-hitters in back-to-back starts. ... After going 4-2 on their road trip, the Mariners are scheduled to open a seven-game homestand with four against Boston. All-Star pitchers Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma are the Mariners projected starters on Monday and Tuesday. ' ' '