4 Things the Atlanta Falcons learned about Marcus Mariota in week two

4. The Atlanta Falcons will start Desmond Ridder this season

Some of the issues with Marcus Mariota are fixable for the Falcons over the next few weeks. However, some of the issues on display from Mariota are the same ones that resulted in the veteran being benched by the Titans and serving as the backup for the Raiders over the last two years.

He is an elite backup quarterback but a bottom-shelf starter at this point in his career. As much as a Mariota comeback story would have been great from both the veteran and Atlanta it just isn’t going to happen. His first two starts have illustrated why the Falcons should still be looking for a franchise quarterback and focusing on setting up Desmond Ridder to start this season.

While Arthur Smith is going to have to watch multiple terrible games from Mariota to insert Ridder into the lineup it isn’t hard to imagine that happens this season. If Desmond Ridder is the quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons in the second half it isn’t unrealistic to believe they complete the comeback. The rookie was clutch throughout his college career and in preseason action for the Falcons.  Atlanta’s comeback simply needed a quarterback that could drive the team in Rams territory for the game-tying score after the Cooper Kupp fumble. While we will never know for sure I strongly believe if Desmond Ridder started the second half Atlanta completes the comeback and have their first victory of the season.