Falcons benching Ridder in favor of Heinicke - again

The Falcons have lost two of four games, including the past two, since the bye week, when Ridder reclaimed his starting quarterback spot following inconsistent and turnover-ridden play from the start of the season. Heinicke started two games before the bye.

Smith said Monday that he was undecided on what quarterback would start Sunday with three games remaining in the season.

Ridder tossed an ill-advised pass that was intercepted by Carolina’s Xavier Woods late that led to a 17-play, 90-yard drive and the game-winning field goal in Sunday’s 9-7 loss.

“Not final, still working through that,” Smith said. “Met with the quarterbacks just a minute ago before coming in here for my media obligations. I’ll circle back to those guys, but there is some stuff that we still need to work through.”

Ridder has tossed 10 interceptions and has been credited with 11 fumbles, six of which were lost. Ridder has started 16 games since being installed as the starter last season. The Falcons have not scored more than 30 points in those starts and have posted an 8-8 record.

“You have to evaluate everything as you are going back through the film,” Smith said. “There is a great responsibility and that’s what you sign up for. There’s a lot that goes into that and there is also a lot that needs to go right around the quarterback, too.”

Ridder’s struggles with turnovers led him to being benched during the eighth game of the season against Tennessee. After sitting out the two games, he was returned to the starting position after the bye week. The Falcons beat the Saints and the Jets, before dropping their last two games to the Buccaneers and Panthers.

“We are working through it, but we ultimately have to make the best decision for this team so we can go win this game Sunday against Indianapolis,” Smith said Monday.

Ridder’s 16 turnovers are tied for the fifth-most in the NFL. Six of the turnovers have come in the red zone.

Heinicke came on and put up 20 points in the second half against the Titans, but was replace by Ridder after suffering a concussion against the Cardinals. He completed 54.7% of his passes with two touchdowns and an interception in losses to the Vikings and Cardinals.

With the Falcons trailing the Saints and Bucs by one game with three games to play, Smith is trying to spark the Falcons, who have a 7% chance to make the playoffs, according to The New York Times playoff simulator.

The Falcons signed Heinicke to a two-year deal worth up to $20 million. A former Collins Hill standout who’s crafted together a nice NFL career after starring at Old Dominion, Heinicke has a 12-14-1 record as a starter. He has two wins over the Falcons in 2021 and 2022.

The Falcons face the Colts at home on Sunday, then travel to Chicago and New Orleans to close the season.

This is likely the end of the road for Ridder in Atlanta and possibly for Smith, too.

Ridder was drafted in the third round (74th overall) of the 2022 draft, after the Falcons passed on selecting Justin Fields and Mac Jones with the fourth overall pick in 2021 and Kenny Pickett in 2022. Ridder was the second quarterback taken in 2022 and he and Pickett have not had instant success.

Fields and Jones have struggled. Quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance were taken before the Falcons picked tight end Kyle Pitts in 2021. Lawrence, who played Clemson, has been to the playoffs while Wilson and Lance have struggle.

Smith and the new regime appear to have fumbled the transition away from quarterback Matt Ryan. The former league MVP was traded before the 2022 season. The Falcons signed Marcus Mariota in the wake of the Ryan trade, and he left after he was benched with four games left in the 2022 season. Ridder went 2-2 as a starter last season and that was enough to win the starting job.

Heinicke has played the past three seasons with the Commanders. He’s also spent time with the Vikings, Patriots, Texans and Panthers. He’s played in 36 NFL games and made 27 starts.

Heinicke signed with the Falcons with the understanding that he would be Ridder’s backup. He has been in a similar role throughout his NFL career.

“Again, I kind of went through this last year with Carson (Wentz),” Heinicke said after being name the starter earlier this season. “The difference between Carson and Desmond is Carson has been in the league for a long time. This is kind of new for Des. So he’s handled it very well.

“He’s speaking up in meetings. He’s very engaged. He’s helping me out any way he can. To see that from a young guy, it’s really cool. Just speaks to his character.”

Heinicke was trying to stay ready if needed.

“Again, we’re still pushing each other,” Heinicke said.

Smith doesn’t believe that he has lost the locker room.

“You have to talk man-to-man with everybody in there,” Smith said. “The actions are going to show you. You’ve been around sports your whole life. You wouldn’t play that hard. That was an ugly – but that was a physical game, and it’s been like almost every game this season.

“Those guys grind it out. They play with a lot of passion, but we have a couple of things that we need to fix so that we’re not on the wrong side of the win column there.”

If the Falcons could somehow manage to win-out, their playoff chances increase to 70%.

If they lose out, the Falcons could leap into the top five of the NFL draft and have a shot to draft one of the top quarterbacks.

USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy are projected as the top four quarterback in the upcoming draft.

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