FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. --- Psst, did you hear the news? This one's a stunner, so brace yourself.

Matt Ryan is NOT perfect.

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback has shown his human side over the past three weeks, throwing seven interceptions after being picked off just 13 times in his first 20 regular-season games.

Not all were his fault, of course. There were protection issues and tipped balls and receivers not always running the proper route. But it all comes back to the quarterback, the guy known as Matty Ice.

"You've got to ride the ebb and flow of a season," Ryan said. "There's going to be ups and downs. It's a long, long year. At the end of it, you look back and kind of judge how you did. Right now, we're just grinding. We're going to continue to prepare during the week like we always do, trust that what we are doing is right and stay the course."

Still, Ryan's play in the past three games -- two of them losses -- has raised at least a bit of concern in Atlanta, if for no other reason than it's the first significant bit of adversity to crop up in what has largely been a charmed start to his career.

After being drafted No. 3 overall out of Boston College in 2008, Ryan won the quarterback job in training camp, threw for a touchdown on his very first NFL pass, led a team that was expected to struggle to an unexpected playoff berth and was named offensive rookie of the year.

The Falcons went to great lengths to ensure that Ryan had plenty of weapons around him for Year 2, which included trading for future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez.

Now, the Falcons (4-3) are trying to snap their first losing streak of the Ryan era when they go up against one of the league's top defensive teams, the Washington Redskins, on Sunday.

"We know he's going to bounce back," running back Michael Turner said. "Matt's cool under pressure. He's not being rattled back there or anything like that. As long as we protect him well and the receivers run nice crisp routes and get the timing right, everything will be an improvement."

True to his steady demeanor, Ryan showed no signs of panic as he discussed the slump standing in front of his locker at the Falcons' training complex.

"You have to be more judicious with the football, make better decisions," he said. "But you don't want to lose that sense of aggressiveness. You want to take some chances, you want to make some plays. I know I have to play better. We have to play better as a team."