Opponent Focus: Falcons WR Calvin Ridley Ready To Bust Out

The Atlanta Falcons and Washington Football Team have some things in common. Neither is performing all that well three weeks into the season, and both probably view this game as an opportunity to get things back on track.

Also looking to get on track are some essential players on both rosters. For Washington, everyone is wondering when defensive end Chase Young will get his first sack of the year.

For Atlanta, many questions surround top receiver Calvin Ridley.

"Calvin Ridley hasn't particularly played like a No. 1 wide receiver," Aaron Freeman, the host of the Locked On Falcons Podcast told me during this Thursday's episode of the Locked On Washington Football Team Podcast. "I think (he) is probably hearing people say things about him, and is going to have a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. ... I feel like now is as good a time as ever for him to have a breakout performance."

It's true, the Falcons' top weapon for quarterback Matt Ryan with Julio Jones gone hasn't lived up to expectations.

Ridley is in the top five n the NFL in receptions among receivers with 20, but his 8.75 yards per reception is 49th among position peers with at least 11 catches through three weeks.

WFT receiver Terry McLaurin has been more of a threat with more yards (231) and better average (12.2) than Ridley, even though Atlanta's top target has one more catch.

As for history, there isn't much, as the Falcons and Ridley have only seen Washington once in his previous three seasons.

That game came in 2018, Ridley's rookie season, and the receiver hauled in six catches for 71 yards on nine targets. Included was a big 40-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter of a 38-14 win for Atlanta.

That kind of production is why WFT will keep on eye on Ridley.