In the season opener against the Chicago Bears, Ryan was 31-of-47 for 319 yards and an interception in the 30–12 loss. However, in the next game, the Falcons bounced back with a 35–31 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Ryan was 17-of-28 for 195 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. In Weeks 10 and 11, he recorded consecutive games with at least 300 passing yards in games against the New Orleans Saints and the Tennessee Titans. In Week 14, against the Carolina Panthers, he was 22-of-38 for 320 yards and four touchdowns in the 31–23 victory to his second career NFC Offensive Player of the Week honor. Ryan finished the 2011 season with 4,177 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.