Playoffs should be even more reason to start Desmond Ridder

The Atlanta Falcons keep leaning back on the fact that they are still in the playoff hunt as the reason for Marcus Mariota sticking as the starting quarterback, but, in reality, that should give them even more reason to start Desmond Ridder.

Mariota is not going to get this team further than his teammates get him. He is not going to win games more consistently than he loses them. He has had enough opportunity to prove himself and there is every reason for the Falcons to turn to the rookie quarterback.

Atlanta should be playing Desmond Ridder if they truly want to make the playoffs

Don’t they say that the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result? Well, that statement right there is why the Falcons need to turn to Desmond Ridder. Let’s face it, he gives this team the best chance to win.

Marcus Mariota is not going to get the Falcons any further than they are right now. I will continue to say it, the games the Falcons have won are not because of Mariota, but in spite of him. I don’t like being that harsh to players but a spade is a spade, you have to call it how you see it.

The excuse that Mariota should keep taking snaps because the team is still in the playoff picture is totally backward. You play Mariota if you want a high draft pick, and you play Desmond Ridder if you want any chance to go further than you are right now.

Not to mention, why not get the young gun some snaps in meaningful games? He isn’t some toddler that cannot handle a little adversity if things don’t go his way. He had to freaking weather a huge storm when his team was clearly outmatched by Alabama in the College Football Playoffs last year, he can handle getting hit by NFL defenses.

You also should not be starting a quarterback that you don’t plan on rolling with in the future, there is no point. If he is not good enough to start for you next year, then he shouldn’t be good enough to start for you next Sunday.

Give the rookie a chance to guide his team to the playoffs, if he can’t get it done, then so be it, he got some snaps in real games. The second worst thing you can do is go into next season with a quarterback who hasn’t played a single snap in a regular season game. If you are wondering what the worst thing would be, well, it would be going into next season with a certain quarterback who wears #1 as the starter.

Arthur Smith is a fantastic coach but he needs to pull the trigger already because we are going nowhere because of Mariota when we could go somewhere because of Ridder.