Just four games into the season, the Atlanta Falcons have already built a sizable NFC South lead.
That hasn't kept them from realizing they have a long way to go.
Matt Ryan looks to guide Atlanta to its first 5-0 start Sunday when Robert Griffin III tries to help the Washington Redskins end their seven-game home losing streak.
Heading into 2012 with an 0-3 playoff record since Ryan and coach Mike Smith arrived in 2008, Atlanta (4-0) has matched the best start in franchise history, last accomplished during its 2004 run to the NFC championship game.
With Ryan, the NFL's highest-rated passer at 112.1, driving his team 77 yards to get in position for a last-second field goal in last Sunday's 30-28 victory over Carolina, the Falcons now lead the South by three games over the Panthers and Tampa Bay. New Orleans is 0-4.
"I'm aware of it but I don't pay attention to it,'' Smith said. "This early in the season you've got to concern yourself with your team. You don't even think about what is going on with the other teams until you're getting ready to play them.
"We've started out fast and it's just a start.''
The Falcons did a nice job protecting Ryan on the game-winning drive against Carolina - a 59-yard pass to Roddy White got the Falcons off their 1-yard line - but the fifth-year quarterback was sacked a career-high seven times in the first 59 minutes.
"Ultimately we made enough big plays to win, but I think that everyone is of the mindset that we need to get back to work," Ryan said after his 17th career game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime. "We feel like we can get a lot better and that's what we're going to set out to do this week.''
To finish reading this preview, click here
------
My take on the game is similar, but there is nothing on paper that can be said about a game, until it happens. So I'll take the Redskins plus the 3
Receiving Yards
Roddy White, ATL 413 Fred Davis, WAS 212
Rushing Yards
Alfred Morris, WAS 376 Michael Turner, ATL 257
Passing Yards
Matt Ryan, ATL 1162 R. Griffin III, WAS 1070
