3 Things Falcons fans learned about Desmond Ridder in preseason win

3. Ridder’s Falcons made a clutch play

Preseason is a meaningless exercise to get players ready for the real thing and to allow fringe roster players to compete for depth roles. This season it has a bit more meaning for an Atlanta roster with plenty of spots up for grabs. However, the point remains the result and the game are simply an exercise to get this team ready.

With this in mind, it was still too obvious to ignore that this Atlanta Falcons team made a clutch play on 4th down in the final seconds of the game. Desmond Ridder avoided the pressure just long enough to get off a touchdown pass that would be the game-winning play.

For a franchise that has long been unable to come up with the clutch play it was exciting to see the offense make a play and win a close game. Yes, last season the Falcons won seven games but often they would jump out to a lead and hold onto dear life clinging to the slimmest margins in the final moments.

It always felt it was a question of will the Falcons blow it, not who is going to make a play to win it?  In the absolute smallest sample size in a meaningless game, Desmond Ridder was the difference he was the opposite of what Atlanta has been over the last five years, clutch. The game was up for grabs and Ridder went out and won it, even in a meaningless preseason game Ridder’s game-winner felt like a page-turning.