Ryan's arm throws Falcons into NFC final

Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan on Saturday solidified his status as the leading contender for the NFL's Most Valuable Player award by guiding the Falcons to a 36-20 victory over the visiting Seattle Seahawks in their NFC divisional playoff.

Taking advantage of multiple throwing options, Ryan completed 26 of 37 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns in front of jubilant fans as the Falcons advanced to the NFC Championship game for just the fourth time.

"It feels good," Ryan told Fox Sports. "We have a lot of people who worked really, really hard ... coaching staff, front office, players. They put everything into it to give ourselves an opportunity this time of the year. I'm just happy with the way we played."