Falcons Preseason Week 2 Studs/Duds: Desmond Ridder, Jared Bernhardt Rekindle Magic
Monday night's preseason affair was a tale of two halves for the Atlanta Falcons.
After primarily playing first- and second-string players for the first 30 minutes, the Falcons had a 16-3 lead over the New York Jets at the break. Then, Atlanta rolled out its third-stringers in the second half, and New York came roaring back to win 24-16.
The up-and-down manner of the game is similarly reflected by many of the 85 players on the Falcons' roster. Here are three who's stock is up, and three going the other direction final cutdown day is just one week away.
Stud: Quarterback Desmond Ridder
A third-round rookie out of Cincinnati, Ridder joined the Falcons with a chance to become the long-term answer at the position. Through two preseason contests, the 22-year-old has done nothing but add gas to the fire.
Ridder had a 10-of-13 passing night, posting a game-high 143 yards. Well-established as extremely sharp mentally, Ridder showed big strides regarding snap-to-snap consistency with ball placement, a big question mark for him coming out of college. He picked the Jets defense apart when they were in zone and showed total control regardless of down and distance.
The Falcons haven't had a situation like this at quarterback since 2008, and preseason isn't necessarily the greatest indicator of future success, but Ridder has had an extremely encouraging start.
Dud: Left Guard Jalen Mayfield
From one third-round pick to another, perhaps no two players were on greater ends of the spectrum on Monday night. The embattled Mayfield, who started 16 games at left guard as a rookie a season ago, quickly lost his starting spot in training camp, missed a few practices with a back injury and hasn't done much to help his cause in the preseason.
Mayfield was tied for ninth league-wide in penalties last year with nine, and racked up two against the Jets, one for holding and another for a false start, though that could've been called against roughly half of Atlanta's offensive players in the game - head coach Arthur Smith appeared to be frustrated with Ridder and center Matt Hennessy.
Beyond the penalties, Atlanta's second-team offensive line struggled opening holes in the running game and put the offense behind the chains several teams, with Ridder ultimately bailing them out countless times on a pair of scoring drives. Mayfield entered the season needing to show progress, but his training camp and preseason performances have unfortunately shown anything but.
Stud: Cornerback Dee Alford
The lone repeat name on this list from a week ago is Alford, who seems to always be around the ball no matter where he's aligned. After posting a team-high eight tackles in addition to a spectacular interception against Detroit, Alford had just a pair of stops Monday night, but consistently found himself in position to make plays, which he capitalized on.
Alford played inside at nickel cornerback during Atlanta's joint practices with the Jets, and saw action all throughout the game, making appearances with both the starters and third-string players. The Falcons are putting him in as many positions as possible to evaluate the former CFL All-Star, and he continues to standout regardless of position.
From perceived camp body to seeing snaps with the first-team defense, Alford's ascension has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the offseason, and he just keeps on proving he's the real deal.
Dud: Receiver Auden Tate
Tate's nomination here is not about what he did - it's what he didn't do. In total, 15 players saw targets, and Tate wasn't one of them. In the opener, he saw just two targets, hauling one in for a gain of seven.
Throughout training camp, Tate has largely worked on the second field, away from the starting groups. Considering he was viewed to be in contention for a roster spot at receiver, his lack of impact and overall opportunity in the preseason has been a disappointing development.
Stud: Receiver Jared Bernhardt
What else is there to say about Bernhardt? From lacrosse star to Division II option quarterback, the 24-year-old receiver has done nothing but impress throughout his first offseason as a professional. After making the game-winning catch in Detroit, Bernhardt responded with three receptions for 67 yards against the Jets, hauling in each of his targets.
Clearly developing a strong rapport with Ridder, Bernhardt consistently found himself open, in large part due to his strong football intelligence and feel for zones. Considering that Bernhardt had strictly played quarterback prior to this offseason, his rapid progress has him firmly in the mix for a spot on Atlanta's practice squad, if not the roster.
Dud: Receiver Geronimo Allison
Allison has found himself in the same boat as Tate ... a shot at a roster spot quickly dwindling after a pair of quiet preseason showings. The former Green Bay Packers wideout was viewed as a fringe-roster player entering camp but had a strong couple of weeks before the start of games.
Allison had a ho-hum preseason opener, hauling in a 20-yard reception but dropping a catchable ball from Ridder. He saw just one target against the Jets and couldn't bring it in. Once looking like the biggest "arrow-up" player in Atlanta's receiver room, Allison's stock has quickly taken a turn for the worse.
The Falcons have to trim the roster from 85 to 80 by 4 p.m. Tuesday, and from 80 to 53 the following Tuesday, with the final preseason contest sandwiched in between, as the team hosts the Jacksonville Jaguars at 3 p.m. Saturday.
