Drew Brees and Matt Ryan have been going at it for the better part of 12 years which, when you think about it, is quite the achievement considering the relatively high QB turnover in the modern NFL.
The Saints-Falcons rivalry is one of the biggest in the league, and will continue long after Brees and Ryan hang up their cleats.
Of course, with Brees recently turning 41, this underappreciated matchup might be coming to an end sooner rather than later – you could be forgiven for thinking it’s already over, considering Brees hasn’t exactly been emphatic in his desire to return for 2020.
If it is to end, then this rivalry should go down as one of the best in league history. After all, the two gunslingers have faced each other 23 times – the most in NFL history between two quarterbacks.
| Matt Ryan | Drew Brees |
| 9 Wins | 14 Wins |
| 6,848 yards | 7,085 yards |
| 43 | 43 |
| 16 | 25 |
As the numbers above show, this has been an incredibly close matchup – but stats don’t always tell the whole story.
In 2011, the Saints blew out the Falcons in a 45-16 win – by far the most lopsided victory Brees has achieved over Ryan (the Saints QB threw for 307 yards, four touchdowns and a pair of picks). But a year later, Brees threw an astonishing five interceptions as the Falcons won 23-13. Ryan himself threw picks in a 2017 matchup, yet still found a way to win 20-17 (in the Superdome, no less).
Arguably the greatest – or most entertaining – game between the two QBs came in a 2018 matchup that saw nine lead changes and both Brees and Ryan posting outrageous numbers (Ryan completed 26 of 35 attempts for 374 yards and a career high five touchdowns, while Brees completed 39 of 49 pass attempts for 396 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for two touchdowns). The Saints would eventually prevail in this titanic clash in overtime with a 43-37 win.
Oh, and there’s one more thing. Why the above stats proves that Ryan and Brees have very similar statistics in their head-to-head matchups, Saints fans will always be able to claim the upper hand in the Brees vs Ryan debate: Drew has a ring. Matt does not.