Falcons: Marcus Mariota would be benched at any other position

In football, there is this weird stigma around quarterbacks where they play by a different rulebook than every other position and have a double standard. Sure, they play the most difficult position but if you aren’t good enough, then you aren’t good enough, and the Atlanta Falcons need to realize that with Marcus Mariota.

Simply put: Marcus Mariota would have already been benched if he played any other position. Offensive tackle, cornerback, long snapper, punter, kicker, literally any other position.

Marcus Mariota would have been benched by the Falcons if he wasn’t a QB

The Falcons are not getting anywhere with Marcus Mariota. He hasn’t won more games than he has lost. He has had plenty of snaps and opportunities to prove himself, and sadly, he has not gotten the job done but he keeps his spot on the depth chart simply because he plays quarterback.

Really think about it, the Falcons have benched other players this season for not performing. Colby Gossett, Bryan Edwards, Cornell Armstrong, and Mykal Walker at times, there are plenty of examples. If you don’t perform then you shouldn’t be playing.

Marcus Mariota has turned the ball over (granted, a couple are not his fault) and has missed open receiver after open receiver. Even most of his completions look difficult as his receivers have had to contort their bodies to make difficult catches.

He has not played to the standard that should be required to play at, and that should be more than enough reason to bench him.

Also Read: Making a playoff push should be even more reason to start Desmond Ridder.

Colby Gossett got one chance and the Falcons ended up deciding to move Chuma Edoga over to left guard to replace him after one start. Bryan Edwards basically had zero opportunity to play. Cornell Armstrong was replaced with Rashad Fenton after a couple of games, and Mykal Walker has been replaced with Troy Anderson two drives into a few games.

Meanwhile, Mariota will be going into his 13th full game on Sunday and hasn’t played to the standard that even a backup should be held to.

Following the awful performance against the Carolina Panthers a couple weeks ago, Arthur Smith talked about how Mariota’s teammates were to blame just as much as he was. He defended Mariota but then benched the starting left guard for a player who had only played right tackle. Mariota played awful, Gossett played awful, but Mariota gets the benefit of the doubt while Gossett gets immediately benched.

It ended up being the right decision, to Arthur Smith’s credit, and that should give him even more reason to bench Marcus Mariota. There is an evident double standard that needs to stop. This is definitely a common thing in football but it shouldn’t be. Marcus Mariota would be benched if he played any other position. It is past time for Desmond Ridder to start!