'You Hear His Voice!' Desmond Ridder Praises Drake London As Atlanta Falcons' Leader
The Atlanta Falcons fell short in Week 14, giving up sole possession of first place in a 29-25 loss to the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, Sunday’s action wasn’t without some stellar performances on Atlanta’s end.
Falcons receiver Drake London had inarguably the most productive game of his career against the Buccaneers. His 10 catches, 172 yards, and 15.64 yards per target were all career highs and underlined what was one of the passing offense’s best games of the year.
In all, it wasn’t enough. London came up for yards shy of the end zone on the game’s final play, negating his performance and a Falcons effort that outgained the Buccaneers by 144 yards.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) celebrates after a two-point conversion with tight end Kyle Pitts (8) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
However, neither London’s day nor his development has gone unnoticed. Quarterback Desmond Ridder spoke after practice on Wednesday about his top target.
"I think everyone knows what his physical play can be and is, but the biggest thing that I've seen from him is just his leadership,” Ridder said. “For a while, we had Mack [Hollins] out with an injury in that room, and early on Mack was a voice, he was the energy, he was the one that everyone kind of looked to for energy, and Drake's kind of become that guy.”
Hollins made his return to the field against Tampa Bay, catching just one pass for four yards. He had missed three games since suffering an injury before Week 10’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
His absence played itself into an opportunity for London to not only soak up more of the target share but increase his presence away from the stat sheet, too. Although his 91-yard day against the New Orleans Saints was encouraging, Ridder was more impressed with his demonstrations of leadership.
“He's become that guy to step up, the guy to be vocal, to call someone out when they're wrong, to praise when they're right, so he's just done a tremendous job,” Ridder said. “When he first got here, he was just kind of that quiet California kid but now he's stepping in the huddle and whether it's down the distance or just picking guys up, whatever it may be, you hear his voice out there."
Embracing that kind of role is somewhat expected from a first-round pick and takes on even more importance when head coach Arthur Smith’s seat flirts with rising temperatures.
While he shouldn’t be expected to repeat his nuclear performance in Week 15 against the Carolina Panthers, the steps London has taken as a leader can be counted on. Whether he’s guiding Ridder through inconsistencies or celebrating with his teammates, fans can grow used to London being a key part of Atlanta’s success, even as his production fluctuates.
