Commentary

Hoge's Tape Room: Ryan's hope, struggling Indy

Updated: October 12, 2008, 4:39 PM ET
By Merril Hoge | ESPN
Another week, another slate of amazing games -- from Houston's collapse late against the Colts, to the Giants' flexing their muscles to beat down the Seahawks. This is why I enjoy watching games over and over from different angles. As always, here are a few observations I caught while doing just that.

Ryan's the Real Deal
The next great NFL quarterback resides in Atlanta. Matt Ryan already plays at a veteran level after just a few games in the league. Go down a checklist of what a pro QB needs, and you'll see just how good he is: accuracy (check), throwing with anticipation (check) and solid fundamentals (double check). It's amazing how adept he is at controlling safeties by looking them off before throwing. What I'm seeing is that Ryan is gaining more confidence in throwing to voids and areas where his receivers will be.


To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Merril Hoge

NFL
Former NFL fullback Merril Hoge is an analyst for a wide variety of NFL programs on television and ESPN Radio. An eight-year NFL veteran, Hoge spent 1987-93 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and joined ESPN in 1996.

SPONSORED HEADLINES

FANTASY TOP HEADLINES

MOST SENT STORIES ON ESPN.COM