3. Ridder should start against the Carolina Panthers
The Atlanta Falcons are sitting at 3-4 on the season and somehow in the middle of the division race with every team in the NFC South having a realistic path seven weeks into the season. For Atlanta, this path includes bringing the passing attack back to life while continuing to be a run-heavy team that relies on Arthur Smith’s schemes.
The problem isn’t the fact the Falcons are run-heavy but that the team is unable to pass when the defense is daring them to beat man coverage. Sunday was a perfect example of this and why the Falcons should give their rookie quarterback a chance.
Mariota is an incredible athlete and is able to create plays with his legs and help the Atlanta run game. However, he has the absolute worst trait a game manager can have and that is a high turnover rate to go along with inconsistent accuracy. The Falcons need more from the quarterback position and starting Ridder against a bad Panthers team is the perfect spot to attempt to ease the rookie into the lineup and determine if he is the upgrade Atlanta badly needs at the quarterback position.