Falcons’ Desmond Ridder: ‘There’s no magical potion to fix fumbles’

TAMPA, Fla. -- Here’s what Falcons’ quarterback Desmond Ridder had to say after the 16-13 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday:

On how to explain his three fumbles today: “Yeah, you know at the end of the day, I’ve just got to do a better job of taking care of the ball. You know, the one right there on the goal line – [I] just didn’t get in, obviously. You’re antsy to get in, you’re about eight inches away – at the end of the day, just have to come up with it. The one later on right there in the end zone, it was an RPO (run-pass option), so I was going to pass it… back when we’re seven, eight years old playing football you learn that when you’re running to the left, put the ball in your left hand, when you’re running to the right, put it in the right. So, I was running out to my left and I thought I was going to throw it, I pulled it down and ran it, kept it in my right hand and obviously didn’t protect the ball.”

On the fumbled snap in the red zone: “Like I said, things get antsy down there. It got quick – just got to be better.”

On fixing critical mistakes that could lead to losing games: “At the end of the day, there’s no magical potion to fix fumbles. It’s just strapping up and knowing that you have to protect the football. At the end of the day, that’s what this game is about, protecting the football. The ball is the key, the ball is the issue. So whether it’s good or bad, whether the defense is getting turnovers or the offense is turning the ball over, whatever it is… the ball is the issue and at the end of the day, for me and everyone else – but obviously me today – we just have to do a better job at that.”

On his thoughts on today’s game: “It was a great team win – offense, defense, special teams – we’re never out of it. We’re never out of the fight and [we came back] to win. [We] always stayed calm, cool and collected, no matter what happened and [were] able to go out there and get a win on the road.”

On the play to TE Kyle Pitts to set up a field goal: “We ran the same play just the other way around the first time – it [fell] incomplete. Literally ran the same exact play and then I was able to complete it. It’s a play we’ve run multiple times, it’s a play that we’re comfortable with, and it’s one that obviously we needed [in] a huge situation and that’s what it was.”

On learning lessons in wins rather than losses: “Yeah, it’s huge, but obviously we shouldn’t even have to get to that point. You go down and fumble and I think you go up maybe eight or 10 or whatever it was and then you get the touchdown. You’re talking, you’re up more than what you think you are or what you should be and for us, obviously, we made it a lot harder on ourselves than we needed it to be. It’s huge, obviously, to see that through all of that, we can still come out on top, still play as a team. No one pointing fingers, no one blaming anyone – just go out and get a win.”