Atlanta Falcons Must 'Make a Decision' After Desmond Ridder's Performance vs. Arizona Cardinals
The Atlanta Falcons fell short once again on Sunday, this time to the Arizona Cardinals, extending their current losing streak from two to three games. The 25-23 loss was just the sixth-straight game this season decided by one score for the Falcons.
Similar to the 28-23 loss to the Tennessee Titans, which was the beginning of the losing streak, Sunday brought about more controversy at the quarterback position as the once-backup-now-turned starter Taylor Heinicke was sidelined with an injury, seeing Desmond Ridder come off the bench in relief.
Despite it being Ridder's first appearance since being benched in the loss to the Titans, as the shoe was placed on the other foot, the former starter came off the bench and put on a potential job-winning display to follow up Heinicke's lackluster evening.
"It definitely has an affect. Yeah, we got to make a decision," Falcons coach Arthur Smith said about the quarterback controversy following the loss. "Like I said, Des did a nice job coming back out there. He kind of reset -- confident in him. Had he come in the second play of the game, the way he prepared and he didn't flinch. Like I said, he gave us a chance to win."
Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks Taylor Heinicke (left), Desmond Ridder (middle), and coach Arthur Smith (right).
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The 30-year-old completed just eight of his 15 passes for 55 yards with a touchdown before going down with an injury. Contrastingly, Ridder completed four of his six passes for 39 yards while gaining 11 yards and a touchdown with his legs.
After Ridder's first drive of the game ended on a fourth-and-one scramble attempt that saw him trip short of the chains, the second-year signal-caller bounced back the next possession.
With the Falcons at the Cardinals' nine-yard line, Ridder's decision to keep the ball on a third-and-four read-option run saw him give the Falcons the lead again. However, it was just by a point due to a failed two-point conversion play as Ridder's completion to Drake London was stopped short of the goal line.
Yet, even with the failed two-point conversion attempt and the loss, the former third-round pick's performance was enough to make the Falcons rethink their quarterback situation as they head into the bye week.
