Dan Pompei

What Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco are doing this season could change the way NFL teams think.

Conventional logic, which is based on time tested experiences, says rookie quarterbacks should get their fingerprints on clipboards but not footballs. Especially on teams that struggled the year before.

But Ryan and Flacco both were named opening day starters, and neither has disappointed. Ryan became the first rookie quarterback to start his first six games and win at least four since the NFL merger in 1970. And he has done this with a team that won four games all last season. At the halfway point of the season, Flacco has quarterbacked the Ravens to five wins — as many as the team had all last year.

No rookie quarterback has started on opening day in the four seasons prior to this one, and the last time two rookie quarterbacks started on opening day 1971, when Archie Manning was under center for the Saints and Jim Plunkett started for the Patriots.

The Falcons had little choice but to go with Ryan because he outplayed Chris Redman. The Ravens had no choice but to go with Flacco because Troy Smith was ill and Kyle Boller was injured. He won the job by default.

But both players have kept the job because of their exceptional maturity and great intangibles. Neither is among the league's most impressive quarterbacks physically. But in terms of leadership, locker room presence, work habits, instincts and understanding the game, they are much closer to Peyton Manning than Ryan Leaf.

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“Mentally, Matt has been way ahead of his time in terms of understanding the game,” Falcons coach Mike Smith told me.

So comfortable are both coaching staffs with their rookies that they have entrusted them to run the no huddle offense — which usually is reserved for experienced passers. Neither coaching staff appears to be holding much back because of their quarterbacks.

This week, Flacco was named AFC offensive player of the week and Ryan was named NFC offensive player of the week. Both players are improving almost by the snap.

In his most recent game, Ryan established career highs in passer rating and completion percentage. After throwing seven interceptions in his first five games, Flacco has thrown none in his last three.

There are two common threads to their successes. The first is neither acts like a rookie in any way. The second is they both are great learners.

Check out these similar remarks from their coaches.

On Flacco: “The thing about Joe we’ve said from the very beginning, he may make a mistake and he’ll make plenty of mistakes throughout his career, but he’s not the kind of guy that doesn’t learn from them,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh told the Carroll County Times.

On Ryan: “The best thing about him is rarely does he make the same mistake twice,” Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey told me. “He has a great ability to learn from bad experiences. He’s been fun to coach.”

Both players also have benefited from being in good situations.

The Ravens have the league's fourth ranked running game, which means safeties have to be at least as concerned with the running game as they are with Flacco. The Ravens also have the league's second ranked defense, so Flacco has been able to win some games without scoring beaucoup points. And Flacco has benefited from the play calling and guidance of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

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Behind Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood, the Falcons rank first in rushing. Flacco has one of the league’s dynamic young playmakers to throw to in Roddy White. And the coaching of Mularkey undoubtedly has been a boon.

On other teams, Flacco and Ryan might not be as successful as they have been. But even though they have been dealt fortuitous hands, they deserve credit for playing them well — and going where few rookie quarterbacks have gone.