Ridder time? Falcons HC leaves the door open to start rookie QB

Following a bad loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers where the Atlanta Falcons failed to score 20 points in a second consecutive game, head coach Arthur Smith had a different tone when asked about making the quarterback switch from Marcus Mariota to Desmond Ridder.

It may finally be the time when we are all finally freed from watching Marcus Mariota passing the ball.

Atlanta Falcons HC Arthur Smith might finally give rookie QB Desmond Ridder a chance

Every. Single. Week. there has been complete denial when the media asks about Desmond Ridder starting, at least until now. The Atlanta Falcons head coach had a shift in how he has usually answered the routine question.

As they finally enter their bye week, Arthur finally had a vague answer that leaves the door wide open for the first time this year.

"We just finished the game. But obviously, we have some private thoughts. We need to decompress. We need to meet as a staff. There are a lot of things where sure we’ve been close, but we have to evaluate everything. We have to get back over the hump, get back in the winning category. There’s a lot that needs to be evaluated, talked about, discussed. I understand the questions right now, but the game just ended. The bye is coming at a good time for us."

And then he made this statement that is extremely telling:

"It’ll be good to take a step back, there will be changes made. We have to look at everything."

You probably already recognize this but focus in on the part where he says “there will be changes made.” He doesn’t say that changes could be made, he says they WILL be made.

Nothing is certain at all, but this seems like the most likely time for a change to made at quarterback. And frankly, the change has to be made because the quarterback play has been unacceptable.