Falcons: Like it or not, Arthur Smith was correct in sticking with Ridder

One of the hardest things to do as a fan of football and a football team is to not jump ship on a player while they are going through a rough stretch.

Atlanta Falcons QB Desmond Ridder was downright horrendous in the first half of the game in London. We all immediately called for Taylor Heinicke to take over but head coach Arthur Smith stuck with his guy and whether you like it or not, that was the correct decision.

Atlanta Falcons were right to stick with quarterback Desmond Ridder

Last season, Atlanta Falcons fans were a few weeks away from calling for then-rookie Desmond Ridder to take over for starting QB Marcus Mariota. Those demands were justified because sticking with Mariota made zero sense when looking at the big picture.

This year, fans are now calling for the veteran Taylor Heinicke to take the job from the young Ridder. The tables have turned faster than any of us could imagine.

While fans may have been correct last year, this year they aren't. We all know that the Falcons are a much better team than they were last year which is a valid reason to think that Heinicke should play.

With that being said, the Falcons still need to see what Ridder is made of. He came out of the half and put together a nice, intriguing drive for a touchdown but that was that, the offense did not score again.

Benching Ridder only results in the Falcons starting a QB who was one of the, if not the least accurate quarterbacks in the NFL last season. I hate to say it but I am not sure things would get much better with Heinicke.

Ridder just started the eighth game of his career and even though he looked terrible, we still don't know what he can be.

Where we sit right now, the Falcons' franchise quarterback is either Desmond Ridder or someone who is not on the roster.

Honestly, I think the bigger problem right now is the lacking scheme in the passing game, the bad pass protection, and the lack of separation by the receivers.

I am not trying to excuse Ridder's performance; it was about as bad as it gets. There are no excuses for him not seeing a defender jumping the route on consecutive plays. The defense might need to carry this team until, hopefully, the offense can settle down and perform.