Monday 20 October 2014 20:47, UK
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is looking forward to a 'huge' encounter against the Detroit Lions when they go head-to-head at Wembley Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Falcons (2-5) landed in London on Monday on the back of a 29-7 loss at Baltimore with Ryan getting sacked five times.
NFC North leaders Detroit, meanwhile, needed two late touchdown passes from quarterback Matthew Stafford to help lift the Lions to a 24-23 victory over the New Orleans Saints, improving them to 5-2 for the season.
With four straight defeats Falcons' Ryan knows the pressure is on head coach Mike Smith to pick up a win to keep them in with a shout in the NFC South.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "This game is huge for us. Certainly we haven't played the way we wanted the last couple of weeks.
"We're one game back in our division though and the NFL can be crazy some years so we're still in the mix in terms of the playoffs. We have got to try and get a win.
"We've got a couple of guys on the team who have played here before and they say that Wembley is a wonderful stadium, a great experience, great fans. We'll enjoy it."
With kick-off at 1.30pm (BST) it means fans on the east coast in America have a chance to watch the game in the morning with the five-hour time difference and Ryan feels it will be exciting for followers across the pond.
"It's going to be very exciting for the folks in the States to wake up, eat breakfast and watch the game. And for the people here in the UK, they'll get to experience how we do things in the States.
"We're usually a 1 o'clock kick-off on the East Coast, so it'll give them some time to tailgate and enjoy the game."
After Denver Broncos' Peyton Manning set a new NFL record for most career touchdown passes in the process, surpassing Brett Favre's haul of 508, Ryan was quick to pay tribute to the 38-year-old quarterback.
"He's unbelievable, said Ryan. "It's an incredible honour for him I can only imagine. He's had such an unbelievable career. I've got to know him well during my career and couldn't be happier for him."
Watch LIVE action of Atlanta Falcons' game against Detroit Lions at Wembley Stadium from 12.30pm on Sky Sports 2.
