Why Marcus Mariota will be the Falcons starting quarterback

When the Atlanta Falcons signed Marcus Mariota to a two-year contract, many were certain he would be the starting quarterback to open up the season, but then the team selected Desmond Ridder in the third round leaving them to wonder if he could snag Mariota’s job.

Most fans would love to see the rookie start from day one but that seems like a long shot when you look at the bigger picture.

Marcus Mariota should have a huge advantage to become Falcons starter

The Atlanta Falcons are in a position that they have not been in for well over a decade, not knowing who their starting quarterback will be to open the season.

With that being said, you should expect to see Marcus Mariota running with the first team.

The first reason is simple, Mariota already has a lot of experience with Arthur Smith’s offense, something that should not be downplayed.

Think back to 2015 when the Falcons brought in Kyle Shanahan, Matt Ryan struggled in his first season with the new scheme but then went on to win MVP the next year. Even though Shanahan is known for having one of the most complex playbooks, it is still a huge advantage that Mariota knows Arthur Smith’s playbook.

Then you can also say that Smith has more experience with Mariota, he knows what plays Mariota likes and excels at giving both sides more confidence in what play is called.

Another reason is the Falcons do not want to throw Ridder into a dumpster fire. Putting a rookie behind an offensive line that cannot stop anyone is a great way to destroy a young kid’s career.

Atlanta has brought in a few former Tennessee Titan players, including some that have experience with Marcus Mariota. That already-established chemistry is something the rookie does not have, add that to the list of reasons.

Now, if Desmond Ridder comes out slinging the ball all over the field showing that he is clearly the better option to start, then of course the coaching staff will name him the starter, but if they both perform similarly in training camp and preseason then Mariota will certainly have a huge tiebreaker.