Matt Ryan has been hit a lot.

Here's a list of the quarterbacks around the NFL who have, in the last six years, been sacked 30-plus times in a season: Aaron Rodgers - 3 times

Tom Brady - 3 times

Ben Roethlisberger - 2 times

Andrew Luck - 2 times

Drew Brees - 2 times Since 2013, Ryan has been sacked 208 times. Cam Newton in that same span? Only sacked six more times.

Last year. Atlanta gave up the sixth most QB Hits in the NFL with 108. Only Tampa Bay, Arizona, Jacksonville, San Francisco and Houston gave up more (bad teams). Since 2014, the Falcons have been top 15 in QB hits allowed every year except one, (2017) but have also been in the top six in QB hits twice.

If Kaleb McGary can’t contribute at a high level this year, Ty Sambrailo continues to get killed at right tackle and Brown and Carpenter continue to be shaky, and even Chris Lindstrom does not solidify the right guard spot, then Ryan’s going to continue to get hit and this team will continue to lose big games and come up short in critical moments.

Just so we are clear, eight of the 12 playoff teams last year were top 15 in not allowing QB hits and eight of 12 playoff teams were top 11 in the league in not allowing sacks. IT MATTERS.