METAIRIE, La. -- For the second year in a row, the New Orleans Saints might have to watch one of their biggest NFC South rivals earn the league MVP award.

Last season it was Cam Newton. Now Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is having a career year in his ninth NFL season, making him a front-runner for the award along with Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers and other possibilities.

Perhaps the Saints (7-8) can try to spoil it for Ryan by leaving a bad last impression of him when they travel to Atlanta on Sunday.

But that would require silencing one of the NFL’s hottest players.

Ryan has thrown for 307.5 yards per game and 34 touchdown passes with only seven interceptions -- all career-best numbers -- for the 10-5 Falcons.

His passer rating of 115.5 is the fifth best in NFL history, according to Pro Football Reference. And his yards per attempt (9.26) are the most since Kurt Warner in 2000, according to ESPN Stats & Information’s database.

Ryan also became the first NFL quarterback ever to throw touchdown passes to 13 different players in a season by Week 16, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Cameron Jordan and the Saints sacked Matt Ryan twice in the teams' first meeting, but Atlanta's QB threw a pair of touchdown passes in the Falcons' rout. Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Both Saints quarterback Drew Brees and coach Sean Payton said Ryan is definitely deserving of the MVP talk, though neither one wanted to offer up a definitive vote for the award.

Defensive end Cameron Jordan was even more reluctant with his praise.

“He’s been playing extremely well. [But] I don’t know if I can ... I mean, I’m probably too biased to give him the MVP nod. But he’s been playing extremely well,” said Jordan, adding that Ryan is “no doubt” playing the best football he has seen from him.

“He’s tops in the league. What he’s done with the offense has been nothing short of incredible,” Jordan said. “Does that put him MVP? I don’t know, I can’t give him that. You’re looking in the wrong spot.”

The Falcons’ offense, which has benefited from dynamic receiver Julio Jones for years, is also benefiting now from recent additions such as second-year offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, newly acquired Pro Bowl center Alex Mack and the dynamic young running-back duo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman.

Atlanta ranks second behind the Saints in the NFL in total yardage (412.5 per game). But the Falcons rank first in yards per play at 6.61, the fifth highest of any team in the Super Bowl era, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

The Falcons also rank No. 1 in points per game (33.5).

Payton said Ryan’s lack of turnovers and the way the Falcons have spread the ball around to so many targets are two among many things that have really stood out to him this season.

“Oh, I have a hard time picking one guy [for MVP]. There’s been a lot of obviously great performers. He’s certainly a strong candidate. He’s played outstanding,” Payton said. “When you look at not just the [yardage and scoring statistics], I think he’s done a real good job with ball security. One thing you see with this team offensively that’s noticeably different this year is they’re in the top five in the league in regards to fewest giveaways [tied for second with 11].

“And, you know, it’s not like they’re playing very conservative. I think they run the ball very well, but they’re pretty wide open. They get the ball down the field, but very few fumbles and interceptions. To get a takeaway, you’re gonna have to earn it.”

The natural assumption with Ryan is that many of his stats can be attributed to throwing to Jones. But ESPN Stats & Info posted a breakdown this week showing that Ryan actually has completed 74 of his passes with 29 touchdowns and three interceptions when targeting everyone else.

Payton said the Saints put up charts on a team’s favorite targets in areas such as third down and the red zone. Two weeks ago, for instance, Payton said the Arizona Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson stood out well above the pack.

But with the Falcons this season, “there’s Julio, there’s [Mohamed] Sanu, there’s the runners, the tight ends, it just keeps going.”

“I think that makes it more challenging,” Payton said. “So that’s a credit to what they’re doing, and they’re doing it well.”

Saints safety Jairus Byrd agreed, saying Atlanta's offense is clearly “jelling” and “clicking” on tape while getting everyone involved, starting with the quarterback orchestrating all of it.

“He’s doing a great job,” Byrd said of Ryan. “On tape, he’s making all the throws, playing with a lot of confidence, and it’s impressive.”