Jan 8, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (4) throws a pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports — © Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Desmond Ridder Plays Best NFL Game In Season Finale, Scores First Two Career Touchdowns

The Falcons' quarterback finished his season on a two-game winning streak.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Updated:
Jan 9, 2023 6:49 AM EST

In this story:

Atlanta Falcons

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati legend Desmond Ridder led his team to another win on Sunday, all while posting his best NFL performance with his first two career touchdown passes.

Ridder and the Falcons beat the Buccaneers 30-17. He finished 19-of-30 passing for 224 yards, two touchdowns, and a 108.2 passer rating. The UC record-breaker did not throw an interception in any of his four starts.

Now, Atlanta enters the offseason with ample cap space and a less-than-ideal draft spot (eighth) for taking a QB to replace Ridder.

"That's not my call," Ridder said about being the starter in 2023. "I am going to go out there and play my game and do what I do. At the end of the day, I don't care about stats. I don't care about what it looks like. At the end of the day, I want to win. That's who I am as a person. I want to be a winner. I want to be a competitor."

Head coach Arthur Smith appreciated how Ridder played on late down money plays.

"I wanted to see him handle that," Smith said. "I thought he did well. When you can do that—when you can win third and fourth down, that says a lot about you to be able to extend plays, look to throw, not get rattled. Not perfect, but we saw a lot of progress."

Check out highlights of the quarterbacks' season finale.

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