Falcons rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder completed his four-game audition by tossing two touchdown passes in a 30-17 win over the Bucs on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Ridder was 19-of-30 passing for 224 yards. He tossed a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end MyCole Pruitt and a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus.
Ridder took over at quarterback after the Falcons demoted Marcus Mariota after 13 games and during the bye week.
Ridder, who was drafted in the third round (74th overall), went 2-2.
He had a plan.
“Just be patient,” Ridder said. “Take what is there. Don’t try to do too much. Don’t try to force anything. You’re going to have guys open. You’re going to see the guys, just make it there. That’s what, not only today, but over the past four weeks, it’s just been staying calm and just taking what they give you.”
The Falcons were in the quarterback market after whiffing in the Deshaun Watson derby. They then traded longtime quarterback Matt Ryan to the Colts.
Mariota was immediately signed, and Ridder was drafted. Mariota was seen as a placeholder potentially for Ridder.
Now we’ll have to see if Ridder did enough to convince coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot if he’s the future at the position.
The Falcons have a top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and the top quarterbacks will likely be taken early. Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis are considered the top three quarterbacks in the draft.
Also, Florida’s Anthony Richardson and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker will get NFL consideration.
Ridder completed 68 of 114 passes for 708 yards and two touchdowns in his four games.
Ridder had a connection with rookie wide receiver Drake London, who caught six passes for 120 yards Sunday. He also had his longest completion of the season, a 40-yarder to London.
Ridder threw the ball down the field more against the Bucs.
Also, the Falcons were able to blend the passing attack Sunday with Tyler Allgeier, who rushed 24 times for 135 yards.
“Most offenses in the league, high school, little league or whatever it is, they want to start with the run game and dominate the run game, and that’s going to set up the pass game,” Ridder said. “We have a dominant offensive line up front and a great running attack with CP (Cordarrelle Patterson), Avery (Williams) and Tyler. It helps to set up the pass plays a lot easier.”
Ridder believes the offense has a bright future with players such as London and Allgeier, who finished the season strong.
“I’m happy for what they did and how they finished,” Ridder said. “I know that those are two hardworking guys. They are not going to settle for anything. They are not going to look back at this season and see what they did and come out next year and not do the same.”
Ridder played against three top-12 defenses. They threw him to the wolves as he made his first start in New Orleans against the Saints and their rambunctious fans.
Ridder’s confidence grew with each outing.
“You can’t come to this game without confidence,” Ridder said. “If you don’t, the defense and the defensive coordinator (are) going to see that. They are going to feast on you.”
For Ridder, who guided Cincinnati to a 44-6 record and led them to the College Football Playoff last season, the repetitions each week made things easier.
“I felt like I got more comfortable and just kind of progressed every week since,” Ridder said.
Ridder scrambled to his right before he found Pruitt on his first touchdown pass.
“At that time, I’m extending the play,” Ridder said. “Getting outside the pocket. Just trying to make a play. I’m seeing the window, whether I should run or whether I should throw.”
Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone likes for the quarterbacks to attack the line of scrimmage when they are scrambling.
“When you’re attacking the line of scrimmage, it’s going to make the defenders either pick you or pick the (receiver),” Ridder said. “They have to pick one or the other. I extended it as long as I could, and Pruitt popped open. It was a great play by him on just staying available.”
Patterson ran over and got the football for Ridder to keep.
“Yes, I do have that ball,” Ridder said. “That ball will be with me.”
Ridder also made a nice play on fourth-and-3 from Tampa Bay’s 43. He scrambled around and found Anthony Firkser for an 11-yard gain.
Ridder felt that Smith showed confidence in him and the offense by going for it on fourth down.
“Oh, yeah, 100%,” Ridder said. “Not just in me, but the offense as a whole. He trusts all 11 guys out there. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have called it. He wouldn’t have put us out there in that situation. It’s not only the confidence in myself that he has, but all the 11 guys that he has out there on the field.”
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
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Atlanta Falcons 2022 results
Sept. 11 Saints 27, Falcons 26
Sept. 18 Rams 31, Falcons 27
Sept. 25 Falcons 27, Seahawks 23
Oct. 2 Falcons 23, Browns 20
Oct. 9 Buccaneers 21, Falcons 15
Oct. 16 Falcons 28, 49ers 14
Oct. 23 Bengals 35, Falcons 17
Oct. 30 Falcons 37, Panthers 34 OT
Nov. 6 Chargers 20, Falcons 17
Nov. 10 Panthers 25, Falcons 15
Nov. 20 Falcons 27, Bears 24
Nov. 27 Commanders 19, Falcons 13
Dec. 4 Steelers 19, Falcons 16
BYE WEEK
Dec. 18 Saints 21, Falcons 18
Dec. 24 Ravens 17, Falcons 9
Jan. 1 Falcons 20, Cardinals 19
Jan. 8 Falcons 30, Buccaneers 17
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