Desmond Ridder has recorded a -2.0% CPOE on passes under 10 air yards this season, 28th in the NFL

Desmond Ridder completed 8 of his 9 attempts for 148 yards (+32.1% CPOE) against the Blitz in Wk 7

Struggles in low-scoring win

Ridder completed 12 of 27 passes for 121 yards and one touchdown in Sunday's 13-8 win over the Jets. He also had zero yards on three rushing attempts.

Analysis: Ridder was held to fewer than 200 passing yards for the sixth time in 11 appearances this season, but his modest yardage total included a 20-yard touchdown toss to MyCole Pruitt in the second quarter. He also had an interception wiped out by a penalty in the second quarter, and despite the officials calling seven penalties on the Jets in the final four minutes of the first half to move the Falcons into scoring range, Atlanta had to settle for a 22-yard field goal to take a 10-5 lead into the…read more

Mistake-prone in return

Ridder completed 13 of 21 passes for 168 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions and added 30 rushing yards on seven carries in the Falcons' 24-15 win over the Saints on Sunday.

Analysis: Ridder's return to the starting job was far from crisp, with the second-year signal-caller posting his third multi-interception tally of the campaign. However, Ridder was able to leverage his ground game, defense and a depleted Saints offense to help lead the Falcons to a much-needed win while failing to reach the 200-yard mark for the third time in a full game this season. Ridder showed very good rapport with top target Drake London and threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Bijan Robinson, but…read more

Confirmed as starter

Head coach Arthur Smith confirmed Monday that Ridder will reclaim starting quarterback duties Sunday against the Saints, and the Falcons plan to stick with the second-year signal-caller as their starter for the rest of the season, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: Smith's announcement doesn't come as a major surprise, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported over the weekend that Ridder was set to move back into the starting role after he had been benched in favor of Taylor Heinicke (hamstring) for the two games leading up to Atlanta's Week 11 bye. Though Heinicke isn't expected to practice this week while he continues to recover from a hamstring strain he sustained Week 10, he lost both of his games as starter and completed just 54.7 percent of his…read more

Regains starting role

The Falcons are expected to go forward with Ridder as the starter beginning Week 12 versus the Saints, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Analysis: Atlanta is making another QB change during its bye, with Taylor Heinicke (hamstring) set to return to a backup role after throwing three touchdowns and one interception across three games under center while averaging a disappointing 166 passing yards. Of course, Ridder hasn't been much more prolific, with six passing touchdowns and six interceptions across 10 games and an average of just 193.3 passing yards. Ridder has, however, added 150 rushing yards and four touchdowns, though that…read more

Scores TD in relief Sunday

Ridder completed four of six passes for 39 yards and gained 11 rushing yards and a touchdown on three carries after replacing Taylor Heinicke (hamstring) in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 25-23 loss to the Cardinals.

Analysis: The second-year quarterback gave the Falcons a spark, and Ridder's nine-yard TD run with under three minutes left gave his team a 23-22 lead that the defense couldn't hold up. Atlanta gets its bye next week, giving Heinicke time to heal up; however, if he's not ready to return in Week 12, Ridder could find himself back in the starting role Nov. 26 against the Saints.

Remains in backup role

Head coach Arthur Smith announced earlier in the week that Ridder will remain in a backup role Sunday against the Cardinals while Taylor Heinicke gets a second straight turn as the Falcons' starting quarterback, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports. "We will go with Taylor this week," Smith said. "And reassess going into the [Week 11] bye."

Analysis: Heinicke replaced Ridder in the second half of the team's Week 8 loss to the Titans and has completed 33 of 59 attempts (55.9 percent) for 443 yards (7.5 YPA), two touchdowns and one interception while adding 34 yards on five carries through his first six quarters as the Falcons' quarterback. Though Ridder has fared comparably to Heinicke from an efficiency standpoint through his eight starts (65.4 percent completion rate, 7.1 YPA) and presents more of a rushing threat, the second-year…read more

Benched for Week 9

Head coach Arthur Smith said Wednesday that Ridder has been medically cleared but will serve as the top backup to Taylor Heinicke in Sunday's game versus the Vikings, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

Analysis: Smith noted that the decision to start Heinicke over Ridder for Week 9 was made with the short-term in mind. Ridder was forced out of last week's loss to the Titans in the first half and evaluated for a concussion, and even after he was medically cleared to return, the Falcons stuck with Heinicke at quarterback to finish out the contest. Smith is seemingly still taking a cautious approach to Ridder's health, though the Falcons will allow him to suit up Sunday in a backup capacity. Even if the…read more

Not guaranteed Week 9 start

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was non-committal Monday when asked whether Ridder would start Atlanta's Week 9 game against the Vikings, Jeff Schultz of The Athletic reports. "We have to see where he's at. That's the best answer I can give you," Smith said about Ridder. "Have to see where he's at. ... We have to find a way to win this game."

Analysis: Smith's comments seemingly refer to Ridder's health, even though the quarterback passed all concussion tests when he was checked during halftime of Sunday's 28-23 loss to the Titans. Ridder played the entire first half of the game, leading Atlanta to just three points over seven drives while completing eight of 12 pass attempts for 71 yards to go with 26 yards on the ground and a lost fumble. Though Ridder was cleared to return for the second half, Taylor Heinicke stepped in at quarterback and…read more

Pulled as precaution

Ridder completed eight of 12 passes for 71 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions in Sunday's 28-23 loss to the Titans. He added three rushes for 26 yards.

Analysis: Ridder didn't appear in the second half of the loss, though after the game, coach Arthur Smith disclosed that his quarterback had been checked for a concussion. Despite being cleared to return, Smith, opted to play it safe, per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. That means Ridder is likely to return to his starting role in Week 9 against the Vikings. As for his performance, Ridder was inefficient even in a positive matchup and also lost his sixth fumble in his last six contests.

Wins despite three red-zone fumbles

Ridder completed 19 of 25 passes for 250 yards without a touchdown or interception in Sunday's 16-13 win over the Buccaneers. He added six carries for 38 yards and a touchdown while fumbling three times, losing all three.

Analysis: Ridder got off to a hot start, completing all four of his passes for 46 yards on the opening drive before capping it with a two-yard rushing touchdown. That success didn't last, as Ridder failed to lead another touchdown drive and lost three fumbles in the red zone, including two at the 1-yard line. After Tampa Bay tied the score at 13 apiece with 45 seconds remaining, Ridder connected with Kyle Pitts for a 39-yard gain to set up Younghoe Koo's game-winning 51-yard field goal, which handed…read more

Mixed results in loss

Ridder completed 28 of 47 passes for 307 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions during Sunday's 24-16 loss to the Commanders. He also rushed twice for 18 yards.

Analysis: Ridder threw for over 300 yards for a second straight game, but his overall performance was marred by a trio of turnovers. He started out hot, completing a couple of big passes on Atlanta's opening drive culminating in a nine-yard touchdown to Kyle Pitts, but Ridder hit a wall after that. After falling behind by double figures early in the second half, the Falcons clawed their way back, and Ridder made it a one-score game with a short touchdown connection to Jonnu Smith early in the final…read more

Career-best yardage total in win

Ridder completed 28 of 37 passes for 329 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions and added four carries for 10 yards and another score in the Falcons' 21-19 win over the Texans on Sunday.

Analysis: Ridder amassed a career-best yardage total and recorded his first 300-yard game in the process during the comeback win. The second-year pro had an integral role in the victory, completing five passes during the game-winning drive after the Texans' C.J. Stroud had marched Houston down for a touchdown with under two minutes remaining. Part of the key to Ridder's productive day was his chemistry with gifted but little-used tight end Kyle Pitts, who he hit on a team-high seven occasions for 87…read more

Remains starting quarterback

Head coach Arthur Smith said Monday that Ridder is still Atlanta's starting quarterback, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: Ridder has made just eight starts as a professional, but Sunday's 23-7 loss was by far his worst performance. He committed a career-high three turnovers, including a pick-six late in the second quarter that put Atlanta in a hole it couldn't climb out of. Smith has been adamant about playing smart football, which Ridder didn't do versus Jacksonville, but it appears the 2022 third-round pick will get an opportunity to work through his mistakes. However, Taylor Heinicke is the highest-paid backup…read more

Three turnovers in Week 4 loss

Ridder completed 19 of 31 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions and one lost fumble in Sunday's 23-7 loss to the Jaguars.

Analysis: He also added six rushing yards on one carry. Ridder put on another lackluster performance, punctuated by a 61-yard pick-six thrown to Jacksonville's Darious Williams late in the second quarter, but the second-year quarterback did mange to hit Drake London for a 15-yard score on Atlanta's first possession of the second half. Ridder also got sacked four times, the third time in four games he's been brought down at least that many times. Ridder and the Falcons' offense will try to turn things…read more

Attempts 38 passes in loss

Ridder completed 21 of 38 passes for 201 yards during Sunday's 20-6 loss versus Detroit. He also rushed twice for three yards and lost a fumble.

Analysis: Ridder attempted a career-high 38 passes, and it was actually the most pass attempts by a Falcons quarterback since Arthur Smith took the head coaching reins. However, Ridder failed to produce much with the increased chances. He also saw a major regression in his running production, which is concerning. It seemed Atlanta made a concerted effort to call designed run plays for Ridder in Week 2, but that wasn't part of the plan in Week 3. Ridder doesn't need to be rostered in most standard…read more

Overcomes early adversity

Ridder completed 19 of 32 passes for 237 yards, a touchdown and an interception during Sunday's 25-24 win over the Packers. He also rushed 10 times for 39 yards and an additional score.

Analysis: Ridder wasn't sharp early. He threw an interception on his second pass of the game and had two more throws go through the hands of defenders. However, the quarterback also had a touchdown called back after review, so the what-ifs could go both ways. In the end, Ridder did what he needed to do to help Atlanta pull off the victory. Fantasy managers should be enthused with Ridder's production on the ground, but it's also encouraging that he threw the ball 32 times after just 18 pass attempts in…read more

Efficient during Week 1 win

Ridder completed 15 of 18 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 24-10 win over the Panthers.

Analysis: Ridder was efficient during his first action of 2023, but he wasn't asked to do much. Regardless, the 2022 third-round pick posted a 111.8 quarterback rating as the Falcons cruised to victory against a division rival. With a stout running game and plenty of talented playmakers around him, Ridder needs to continue to be efficient while limiting turnovers. If he does that, Atlanta has a great chance to pull out victories on a weekly basis. While that's good for the Falcons, it doesn't bode well…read more

Not expected to play Thursday night

Ridder is not expected to play in the Falcons' preseason finale against the Steelers Thursday night, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.

Analysis: The Falcons are not expected to play any of their starters in the final exhibition ahead of Week 1, and instead Logan Woodside is likely to see plenty of reps against Pittsburgh in an effort to convince the coaching staff to keep him around as the QB3 behind Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. In total this preseason, Ridder played 17 offensive snaps, completing seven of nine pass attempts for 80 scoreless yards and a red-zone interception.

Plays one possession

Ridder completed seven of nine passes for 80 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in Friday's 13-13 tie against the Bengals in preseason action. He also rushed the ball once for seven yards.

Analysis: Ridder saw his first preseason action of the 2023 season and played one drive. He had some strong moments, highlighted by a 21-yard completion to Drake London down the left sideline, and he also showed accuracy in the short to middle areas of the field. On the other hand, the drive concluded in shaky fashion, as Ridder appeared to mistime a throw to Scotty Miller near the goal line -- resulting in a tipped pass and interception. Ridder will be under center for Atlanta's Week 1 matchup against…read more

To start next Friday

Coach Arthur Smith said after Friday's 19-3 win at Miami that Ridder and the rest of the Falcons' starters will play in next Friday's preseason game against the Bengals, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: Ridder was held out of Atlanta's exhibition opener, but he'll get his first chance to hand off to first-round rookie running back Bijan Robinson in preseason Week 2. It's unclear how many series Ridder can expect to get under center, but it also may serve as the team's dress rehearsal ahead of Week 1.

Not expected to play Friday night

Ridder isn't expected to play in Friday night's preseason opener against the Dolphins, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.

Analysis: This comes as a bit of a surprise, as Ridder is an inexperienced quarterback with just four games under his belt. However, the Falcons are apparently confident with the reps he's gotten in practice. If Ridder isn't playing, we shouldn't expect to see much, if anything, from Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier and Drake London.

Has Blank's confidence

Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Tuesday that he feels "pretty strongly" that Ridder is "going to be our quarterback of the future," Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.

Analysis: Head coach Arthur Smith named Ridder as the team's starting quarterback in late March, two weeks after the team signed Taylor Heinicke to a two-year, $14 million contract. The second-year pro seems to be making a good impression in training camp, but there's still a lot that can go wrong with a relatively unproven young quarterback who has one of the better backups in the league behind him. Even if his standing atop the depth chart is truly secure this summer, Ridder won't be long for the…read more

Named starting quarterback

Head coach Arthur Smith announced Tuesday that Ridder will be the Falcons' starting quarterback to begin the 2023 campaign, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: After the acquisition of Taylor Heinicke earlier this month, Rothstein reported that Ridder was still expected to retain the starting gig, and Smith finally confirmed as much. Smith's comments also suggest that the Falcons aren't targeting a quarterback with the No. 8 overall pick in the upcoming draft. Ridder took over for a struggling Marcus Mariota and started the final four games of the 2022 campaign, completing 63.5 percent of his pass attempts for 708 yards and two touchdowns while…read more

Still viewed as Falcons' starter

Despite the Falcons' reported signing of Taylor Heinicke, Ridder is still expected to enter training camp as the starting quarterback, ESPN's Michael Rothstein reports.

Analysis: It's become evident that Atlanta wants to see what it has in Ridder, the No. 74 overall pick in last year's NFL Draft. He made four starts to close out his rookie season but wasn't all that impressive, completing 63.5 percent of his throws for 177 yards per game with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Heinicke could give Ridder a run at the top job in camp, but the former Commander has already demonstrated he isn't a 17-game starter in the NFL.

Leads team to Week 18 win

Ridder completed 19 of 30 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns during Sunday's 30-17 win over Tampa Bay. He also rushed twice for nine yards.

Analysis: Ridder wasn't overly prolific or efficient, but he avoided turnovers and made plays when he needed to. He had a strong connection with Drake London, who finished with a career-high 120 receiving yards, but Ridder's touchdown passes went to Olamide Zaccheaus and MyCole Pruitt. It was Atlanta's second win with Ridder under center, and the two-game win streak to end the campaign is certainly an encouraging finish to build off of going into the offseason. However, the Falcons are likely still going…read more

Orchestrates game-winning drive

Ridder completed 19 of 26 passes for 169 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions in Sunday's 20-19 win over the Cardinals. He added four rushes for nine yards.

Analysis: Ridder has still yet to throw a touchdown through three career starts, though he's reached 6.5 yards per attempt in each of his last two games. He did very little early in Sunday's win, though he led a game-winning drive in the final moments of the fourth quarter during which he went 3-for-3 for 31 yards to help get the team in field-goal range. Though the Falcons have remained a run-focused offense, Ridder has shown a baseline ability to run the offense in the first few starts of his career.

More efficient in loss to Ravens

Ridder completed 22 of 33 passes for 218 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions in Saturday's 17-9 loss to Baltimore.

Analysis: He added eight rushing yards on four carries. The young QB was much more efficient than he was last week in his NFL debut and showed great chemistry with fellow rookie Drake London, who accounted for 96 of his 218 passing yards, but Ridder still failed to produce a TD, just as he did against the Saints. The 2022 third-round pick will have two more chances to complete his first career touchdown pass before the end of the season -- next week against the Cardinals and in Week 18 against the…read more

Underwhelming debut

Ridder completed 13 of 26 passes for 97 yards and rushed six times for 38 yards during Sunday's 21-18 loss to the Saints.

Analysis: Ridder completed just half of his pass attempts and had an interception overturned to start the second half, resulting in an extremely disappointing debut through the air. However, the rookie third-round pick attempted to salvage his offensive production by showcasing his dual-threat ability. Overall, there wasn't much to take away from Ridder's performance, but the lone bright spot was the connection he appeared to have with fellow rookie Drake London, as the duo connected seven times (11…read more

Locked in to start rest of season

Head coach Arthur Smith confirmed Monday that Ridder will take over as Atlanta's starting quarterback beginning with Sunday's game in New Orleans, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

Analysis: Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported during the Falcons' Week 14 bye that Ridder was in line to make his NFL debut Week 15, but it wasn't until Smith spoke to the media Monday before the team confirmed as much. Ridder will be displacing Marcus Mariota, who started the team's first 13 games before being placed on injured reserve Wednesday due to a knee injury that will require surgery, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. The Falcons signed Logan Woodside off the Titans' practice squad…read more

Set to take over as starter

The Falcons plan to install Ridder as their new starting quarterback after their Week 14 bye, with the rookie set to make his NFL debut in the team's Dec. 18 game in New Orleans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Analysis: The shakeup at quarterback comes after the Falcons dropped four of their last five games heading into the bye week, with incumbent starter Marcus Mariota having completed 59 percent of his throws for 6.5 yards per attempt and a 5:3 TD:INT over that stretch. Ridder, a third-round pick out of Cincinnati, possesses a dual-threat skill set like Mariota, and Atlanta is hoping that his insertion as the new starter can help jumpstart an offense that ranks in the bottom five in the NFL in points per…read more

Starting chance not imminent

Ridder isn't expected to receive an opportunity to displace incumbent Marcus Mariota as the Falcons' starting quarterback so long as Atlanta remains in playoff contention, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Analysis: After the Atlanta offense floundered in consecutive losses to the Chargers and Panthers, Mariota's job status has come into question. Even though Mariota has completed just 61.9 percent of his attempts and has cleared 200 passing yards on only three occasions this season, he's amassed 347 yards on the ground and has accounted for 15 touchdowns to help keep the Falcons reasonably competitive. Even though Atlanta enters Sunday's matchup with the Bears sitting on a 4-6 record, the Falcons are just…read more

One TD, two interceptions Saturday

Ridder completed 14 of 21 passes for 185 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in Saturday's 28-12 preseason win over the Jaguars. He also rushed twice for minus-1 yard while playing into the fourth quarter of Atlanta's preseason finale.

Analysis: This performance showed why the Falcons plan to open the regular season with Marcus Mariota under center and are likely planning to keep starting him for most or all of the season. Ridder's a good athlete, but the rookie third-round pick still needs to work on his decision-making as a passer. His first pass of the game was picked off, and while Ridder bounced back with a two-yard touchdown pass to fellow rookie Tyler Allgeier on the next possession, he was intercepted again in the final seconds…read more

Effective in second preseason game

Ridder completed 10 of 13 passes for 143 yards in Monday's preseason loss to the Jets.

Analysis: Ridder entered the game for the Falcons' fourth offensive possession and led the team on two effective drives prior to halftime. Though Atlanta had to settle for field goals on both occasions -- primarily the product of penalties -- the rookie third-round pick showed the ability to push the ball deep by connecting for long gains of 34, 20, 18 and 17 yards to an assortment of backup skill-position players. Despite the strong performance, Ridder figures to open the regular season as the backup to…read more