3 Reasons the Atlanta Falcons must bench Mariota for Desmond Ridder
By Nick Halden
The Atlanta Falcons need to make the obvious decision at quarterback and bench Marcus Mariota in favor of rookie Desmond Ridder. Ridder impressed early in the preseason and given reason to believe he is Atlanta’s future franchise quarterback.
Watching the Atlanta Falcons win two games so far this season and compete in all four shouldn’t change the perspective on Mariota. Mariota isn’t the reason this team is competing or winning games. Illustrated by the fact the Falcons just won a game in which they only completed seven passes and Jacoby Brissett looked like a star quarterback in comparison.
You are not going to consistently win games in this league with a quarterback who cannot complete more than seven passes in a close game.
Perhaps Desmond Ridder isn’t the long-term answer for Atlanta, however, it is hard to imagine he can be any worse than Atlanta’s current starting quarterback. Head coach Arthur Smith must put his relationship with Mariota aside and do the right thing for the team starting rookie Desmond Ridder. The reasons Mariota cannot continue to start for this team are far too obvious to continue to ignore.