3 Atlanta Falcons who stepped up in Seattle in week three

3. Marcus Mariota

Mariota makes this list despite an interception and putting the ball on the turf late. The interception can be wiped away considering he was trying to make a play and knew it was the final snap of the first half. The fumble put the game on the line but was a botched handoff and not enough to outweigh the improvement Mariota showed.

From the first snap of the game, Mariota played unafraid searching for deep shots and putting the ball in the hands of his playmakers consistently. It was a huge step forward after an ugly week two and should stabilize any thought of putting in rookie Desmond Ridder.

Mariota finished the game with 229-passing yards and two touchdowns with one coming on a late scramble. Mariota’s rushing was noticeably less affective but Atlanta’s offense still had zero problems moving the ball. Just the threat of Mariota’s legs and his ability to make plays out of the pocket and off schedule is going to give Atlanta a chance to move the ball against anyone this season.