In the first half of their game on Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons struggled, managing to score only three points and gain a mere 89 yards on offense against the Tennessee Titans, who had a 3-4 record.
However, in the second half, the Falcons rallied, putting up 20 points and accumulating a total of 253 yards. The primary reason for this turnaround was the quarterback situation.
Desmond Ridder, who had been the starting quarterback throughout the season, started the game but had a challenging first half. He completed eight of 12 passes for 71 yards and added 23 yards from three rushing attempts.
Unfortunately, he was sacked five times, including a crucial sack-fumble that marked his 12th turnover of the season, the highest in the league.
During halftime, Ridder was placed in concussion protocol, and he had to watch the second half from the sidelines wearing a ballcap. This opened the door for the backup quarterback, Taylor Heinicke, who performed admirably.
Heinicke went 12 of 21 for 175 yards and threw a touchdown pass while taking only one sack. In his six drives as quarterback, Heinicke led the Falcons to two field goals, two touchdowns, one punt, and a turnover on downs during the last possession, which occurred after a dropped pass by receiver Van Jefferson.
Falcons coach Arthur Smith clarified that the decision to bring in Heinicke was solely due to Ridder’s concussion evaluation and not a reflection of his on-field performance. Smith expressed confidence in Ridder, stating, “We didn’t take him out for performance issues. That’s why Taylor’s here, to be able to come in as a backup and give us a shot.”
Before the game, Ridder was in excellent form, averaging 297.3 passing yards in the previous three contests, ranking second in the NFL behind Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith emphasized the importance of being cautious about Ridder’s health and that keeping Heinicke in the game was the best decision given the circumstances.
Ridder’s status for the next game against the Minnesota Vikings is uncertain, as he will be evaluated throughout the week. Nonetheless, Smith reaffirmed Ridder as “our starter” and commended his performance before the injury, saying, “He was throwing the ball pretty well. We’ve got a lot of confidence, that’s why he’s our starter. We’ve got a lot we’ve got to figure out.”
Heinicke, who had started 24 games over the past two seasons with the Washington Commanders, understands the dynamics of quarterback controversies. He acknowledged that he doesn’t believe he did enough to become the starter and expressed his support for Ridder, stating, “This is Desmond’s team. He’s played great throughout the year. Obviously, a couple hiccups here and there, but he’s progressing every week, he’s working hard.”
The Falcons have dealt with quarterback decisions in the past, including benching Marcus Mariota for Ridder in Week 15 last year. However, Smith pointed out that this is a different scenario, as Ridder is an inexperienced rookie who was learning under Mariota, while Heinicke is a seasoned veteran with a proven track record at the highest level of the sport.
Smith didn’t hint at replacing Ridder, but he expressed confidence in Heinicke’s ability to lead the team if necessary. Looking ahead, it remains clear that the Falcons are committed to sticking with Ridder, who had been in the midst of the best stretch of his career before the game. However, as Smith mentioned, there are still many uncertainties to address, but Heinicke’s ability to perform isn’t one of them.
Leave a Reply