Tag: Falcons

Nov 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) celebrates after a touchdown with quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) against the New Orleans Saints in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Week 13 betting preview: No teasing, we like the Rams, Falcons

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Success with our picks in recent weeks has caused perhaps a dangerous level of confidence, but you don’t question winning streaks in sports betting.

On the heels of our Week 11 “Love-in” – the emergence of Jordan Love as a useful NFL quarterback – we jumped aboard the train carrying the Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills in Week 12.

Two more winning teaser bets at plus money (ATL +3.5 and the over 36.5; BUF +7.5 and the over 41.5) and we’re ready to rinse and repeat.

(Full disclosure: Our player prop of Stefon Diggs over 79 receiving yards fell 12 doggone feet short of cashing.)

Let’s go hunting.

See our primary play, along with a bonus play and a player prop below.

THE HEADLINER

Falcons at Jets, 1 p.m. ET

The line: Falcons -1.5, total 34 (FanDuel)

The Falcons stepped up and won an ugly NFC South matchup with the New Orleans Saints last week. The division title is right there for the taking.

And Desmond Ridder is the man to lead them … well, about that level of confidence.

Ridder wasn’t great last week, throwing two picks including one at the Saints 1-yard line late in the second quarter.

That said, he doesn’t need to be great because coach Arthur Smith and the offensive staff are finally letting the big dog, Bijan Robinson, eat a little more.

Robinson handled an increased workload like a champ, and he looks ready to flex again in New Jersey.

Atlanta rushed for a season-high 228 yards against New Orleans.

Ridder and Robinson – along with Robinson’s running mate Tyler Allgeier – will put enough points on the board to top New York’s struggling offense.

The Jets need to win two of their next three to even sniff a chance at offering Aaron Rodgers a meaningful snap this season.

And Tim Boyle is the man to lead them …. again, confidence level.

A defense initially heralded as top of the heap (maybe even A-number-one), is not so threatening anymore. Last week, the Miami Dolphins put up 34 points (that included a pick-6, but we digress) at the Jets.

The New York malaise is hardly the fault of the defense, of course.

Fun stat, courtesy of Action Network:

“The NFL average for series success rate is 70% on offense, which means that offenses turn a first-and-10 into another first down or touchdown 70% of the time league-wide.

“The Patriots rank 30th at 65% … the Giants are 31st at 60% and the Jets are all the way down at 58%.”

Jets coach Robert Saleh said he’s hopeful that tackle Mekhi Becton (ankle, knee) will be back Sunday after missing the Dolphins game.

The bet: Same-game parlay, Falcons teased to +3.5 with the over teased to 28.5 (odds of -110 at FanDuel).

THEY SAID IT

“We’re about to go play a really good defense in New York so (the offense) better be ready to go. … I thought the offensive line played the best game since I’ve been here (against New Orleans). We’ve invested heavily in those guys and we’ve just got to stick with our way of doing things.”

– Falcons coach Arthur Smith.

BONUS COMBO

Browns at Rams, 4:25 p.m. ET

The line: Rams -3.5, total 40 (BetMGM).

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is a Super Bowl champ, and his team is finding its footing as it returns to full health.

LA crushed the Arizona Cardinals last week, and running back Kyren Williams looks every bit a standout. Last week was his first game back from an ankle injury that cost him an entire month.

The Cleveland Browns are decimated. Injuries hit hard, claiming Deshaun Watson and backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson (concussion).

Cleveland might start veteran Joe Flacco, who was signed only 10 days ago.

If not Flacco, PJ Walker will start. He is 38th out of 41 quarterbacks in efficiency.

The Browns’ defense, led by Myles Garrett, is terrific. Unfortunately for Cleveland, Garrett suffered a shoulder injury and, best case if he plays, he will play with pain Sunday.

The play: Same-game parlay, Rams teased to -2.5 with the over teased to 30.5 (at +110 odds, per BetMGM).

PROP CORNER

This is a great spot for the continued “Bijan Breakout” experience.

The Jets defense is a little overhyped – and vulnerable to the run – while boasting a talented secondary.

Receiver Drake London may be slowed by Sauce Gardner, fine, but who was second last week behind London’s seven targets? Bijan! He caught three of his six targets for 32 yards.

Robinson also carried the ball 16 times for 91 yards, and his usage doesn’t figure to decrease this week.

Prop play: Falcons RB Bijan Robinson over 79.5 rushing+receiving yards. (-145 at DraftKings).

–Field Level Media

Nov 24, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Tim Boyle (7) throws the ball during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Searching for spark, Jets look to halt slide vs. Falcons

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The New York Jets’ four-game losing streak is tied for the longest active skid in the NFL. They’re desperate for good news, and Aaron Rodgers is doing all he can to give them a glimmer of hope.

On Wednesday, Rodgers returned to practice, 11 weeks after he underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles. Rodgers has said he wants to return this season provided he’s healthy and the team is “alive” in the AFC playoff race.

To get there, the Jets (4-7) will need to stack wins. Their next opportunity is Sunday against the visiting Atlanta Falcons in East Rutherford, N.J.

New York opened the 21-day practice window for Rodgers to return from injured reserve, and coach Robert Saleh said the four-time league MVP is cleared for “function football activity.” Listed as a limited participant in practice Wednesday, Rodgers was seen throwing and practicing dropbacks.

“Instead of throwing with staff members, he’s throwing with teammates,” Saleh said. “There’s no added risk to it. There’s certain things that he’s been cleared for that we’re gonna allow him to do.”

For now, the Falcons (5-6) merely must prepare for Tim Boyle, who will make his second start after the Jets demoted Zach Wilson from QB1 to QB3. Boyle went 27-for-38 passing for 179 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in New York’s 34-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Black Friday.

Atlanta’s record may not look much better than that of the Jets, but the Falcons are leading the NFC South after beating the New Orleans Saints 24-15 last Sunday. Atlanta is 3-0 against division competition and 2-6 against all other teams.

Desmond Ridder took back starting quarterback duties last week after a two-week benching and completed 13 of 21 passes for 168 yards, a touchdown and two picks — including one near the Saints’ goal line.

“We’ve got to do a better job,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said of the team’s turnovers. “When we gave them the one at the 1, there were a couple of things going on there. But we’ve got to do a better job. When you turn the ball over, it makes life hard on yourselves.”

Given the inexperienced quarterbacks in this game — Ridder has made 13 starts in the NFL and Boyle has made just four — individual defensive stars could have opportunities to shine.

Falcons safety Jessie Bates III was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after scoring on a 92-yard pick-6 and forcing a fumble against New Orleans.

“You want to play your best ball around Thanksgiving, December,” Bates said. “That’s when good teams start to play their best ball and that’s what we’re doing right now.”

The Falcons will be watching out for Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner — last season’s Defensive Rookie of the Year who is still hunting for his first interception of 2023 — and veteran linebacker C.J. Mosley, who has 114 tackles (four for loss), one interception and one forced fumble.

Saleh said he’s hopeful that tackle Mekhi Becton (ankle, knee) will be back Sunday after missing the Dolphins game. Becton was limited Wednesday along with fellow O-linemen Wes Schweitzer (calf) and Billy Turner (finger), running back Breece Hall (hamstring), defensive lineman Will McDonald IV (shoulder) and defensive backs Michael Carter II (hamstring) and Justin Hardee (hamstring).

Falcons linebacker Nate Landman (thigh) did not practice Wednesday. Wide receiver Mack Hollins (ankle) and tackle Jake Matthews (hip) were limited.

–Field Level Media

Nov 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons linebacker Bud Dupree (48) and quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) react after defeating the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Arthur Smith: First-place Falcons need more consistency on offense

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Through 12 weeks of the NFL season, the Atlanta Falcons are sitting atop the NFC South standings with a road trip against the offensively-challenged New York Jets up next.

Atlanta (5-6, 3-0 NFC South) pulled away from the New Orleans Saints in the fourth quarter to earn a 24-15 victory over its division rival behind a critical drive orchestrated by Desmond Ridder, a rushing attack that piled up a season-high 228 yards and an opportunistic defense headlined by Jessie Bates III.

But Ridder also tossed two interceptions in his first game back as the starting quarterback, and head coach Arthur Smith is wary of his offense’s consistency ahead of Atlanta’s clash with one of the league’s most talented defenses.

“We’re about to go play a really good defense in New York so (the offense) better be ready to go,” Smith said. “They’ve got good players so we’ve got to do it on a consistent level. I thought the offensive line played the best game since I’ve been here (against New Orleans). We’ve invested heavily in those guys and we’ve just got to stick with our way of doing things.”

Ridder now has eight interceptions on the year after New Orleans defensive back Tyrann Mathieu was responsible for both interceptions Sunday. The first pick came at the Saints’ 1-yard line on first-and-goal with 34 seconds to go in the opening half — and the Falcons up 14-9.

“We’ve got to do a better job,” Smith said. “When we gave them the one at the 1, there were a couple of things going on there. But we’ve got to do a better job. When you turn the ball over, it makes life hard on yourselves. Had a chance to double ’em up there or get three before half.”

The second pick came with Atlanta on the move facing a first-and-10 at New Orleans’ 47-yard line when Ridder attempted to hit Van Jefferson on a deep ball down the left sideline.

But after a big hit by Bates forced Taysom Hill to fumble inside the Falcons’ 10-yard line, Ridder put Atlanta up 21-12 by leading his team on a nine-play, 95-yard scoring drive, capped by a 26-yard touchdown reception by Bijan Robinson.

The methodical scoring march, which was sparked by a 29-yard pass to Drake London on third-and-6 with less than 11 minutes to play, proved that Ridder has the makeup to lead his team to wins.

“What you like about him is the way he came back,” Smith said. “He doesn’t flinch. He’s resilient and we’ll keep working.”

Ridder and the Falcons’ offense face a stiff challenge squaring off against a Jets (4-7) defense that ranks right behind Atlanta at 14th in yards allowed per game (323.5) but is 31st in run defense (140.3 yards per game).

–Bates had 12 tackles, a pick-6 and a forced fumble in the win over the Saints. He is tied for third in the league with four interceptions and is second in forced fumbles (three).

–The Falcons are averaging 139.3 yards per game on the ground, good for fifth in the league.

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

NFL Week 12 betting preview: Ridder back and better for Falcons?

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Our “Love-in” paid off — Jordan Love and the Packers at plus money parlayed with the over vs. the Chargers — as did our secondary bet, Vikings +7.5 and under 45.5 in Denver.

Our player prop? Josh Dobbs went over his rushing attempts (5.5), carrying eight times for 21 yards.

Let’s keep it rolling.

With the Taylor Heinecke experiment all but done, the Atlanta Falcons move back to Desmond Ridder as they host the New Orleans Saints.

Can Ridder become more useful with a break/benching in his rearview mirror?

See how the primary play developed, along with a bonus play and a player prop below.

THE HEADLINER

Saints at Falcons, 1 p.m. ET

The line: Falcons -1.5, total 42.5 (FanDuel)

Ridder likely has found some potential answers to the specifics that have tortured him — and Falcons fans — most of this season.

The question is whether he can apply those lessons and execute the plan successfully. In this scenario, he’ll have help from a New Orleans defense that is showing wear and tear.

The Falcons’ defense is seventh in yards allowed per game (308.8) but only 18th in points allowed (21.7). That’s in large part due to Ridder’s early-season mistakes that allowed opponents a short field.

Ridder was 4-4 as the starter before being evaluated for a concussion in Week 8 against Tennessee. Taylor Heinicke replaced him to start the second half and started the next two games, both Atlanta losses.

In Atlanta’s most recent game, Ridder came in for an injured Heinecke and completed 4 of 6 passes for 39 yards against Arizona.

“We have a lot of confidence in Des,” Atlanta coach Arthur Smith said. “Over the last couple weeks, he has handled it really well. I think the time (as a backup) was very beneficial for him.

“Des did a lot of good things (during his time as a reserve). In Arizona, you could see how prepared he was. We had confidence in Des then and we have confidence in him moving forward.”

Smith said he plans to keep Ridder as the starter for the rest of the season.

The Saints are similarly confusing, having seen improvement from the offense but attrition from the defensive numbers.

Saints QB Derek Carr, who was in concussion protocol but officially cleared it Thursday, is a solid if not stellar veteran. Coach Dennis Allen said he’d “like to see more consistency in the passing game.”

This is a battle for first place in the NFC South, so the stakes are still pretty high.

The Falcons continue to be among the unluckiest teams via the Action Network’s luck rankings, and we’ll give into the temptation to believe — a little bit — in Ridder this week.

The play: Same-game parlay teasing Falcons +3.5, with the over teased to 36.5 (at +100 odds, per FanDuel).

THEY SAID IT

“You get a different perspective of not only yourself but the offense as a whole. There are a lot of things where I’d like to have gone back and done better. I could’ve protected the ball better, but there are a lot of (instances) where I could’ve done things to not be in those situations, whether it’s footwork or your reads or your progressions.”

–Falcons QB Desmond Ridder said of his time on the sideline.

BONUS COMBO

The Buffalo Bills were done, right? Dead and buried and likely to struggle against the Jets.

Didn’t happen. Is Buffalo back?

Bills at Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET

The line: Eagles -3, total 48.5 (FanDuel).

This is not an indictment of former offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey — rather, a vote for the new-look Bills offense.

No longer so reliant on Stefon Diggs, Buffalo QB Josh Allen is set to continue spreading the wealth.

The Eagles’ low-scoring victory in Kansas City was more a product of a struggling Chiefs passing game — and the bad weather.

We like the Bills to exploit a sagging Eagles secondary and keep this within a field goal — if not an outright win for a desperate team.

The play: Two-leg same-game parlay teasing Bills +7.5, with over teased to 41.5 (+105, per BetMGM).

PROP CORNER

Let’s stay with the Bills’ offense for this one.

Conventional wisdom could point to Diggs’ reduction in usage as something that’s here to stay. We aren’t conventional.

The Allen-Diggs combination should be able to hit a few chunk plays on Sunday, resulting in a nice receiving number for Diggs (and his backers).

Prop play: Bills WR Stefon Diggs 80 or more receiving yards (+110 at DraftKings).

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

Saints out to protect NFC South lead vs. Falcons

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The New Orleans Saints hold sole possession of first place in the NFC South.

But that can change quickly — even as soon as Sunday when they visit the second-place Atlanta Falcons.

The Saints (5-5) and the Falcons (4-6), who are tied with Tampa Bay, are both coming off bye weeks, which gave them an opportunity to evaluate themselves heading into the stretch run.

New Orleans coach Dennis Allen said the Saints have been “a tale of two teams” during the first 10 games. Early in the season the offense struggled while the defense played well enough for the team to start 3-2. The offense has played better recently, while the defense has struggled during a 2-3 stretch.

“We’ve got to find a way to get the first five weeks’ defense to show up and the last five weeks’ offense to show up, and see if those two units can play together as a team,” Allen said. “I think if we can do that then we’ll see a lot better results.”

Allen praised quarterback Derek Carr, who is in concussion protocol but practiced fully Wednesday, for his efficiency and how well he has protected the ball and “taken some shots down the field when they have presented themselves.” But he added that he’d “like to see more consistency in the passing game.”

New Orleans will have to seek more consistency without Michael Thomas, Carr’s second-most productive target among the wide receivers. Thomas went on injured reserve this week because of a knee injury suffered in a 27-19 loss at Minnesota in the last game before the bye.

Allen said Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who suffered an ankle injury against the Vikings, will miss “some time.”

The Falcons decided to return to second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder coming out of the bye week.

Ridder was 4-4 as the starter before being evaluated for a concussion in Week 8 against Tennessee. Taylor Heinicke replaced him to start the second half and started the next two games, both Atlanta losses.

Heinicke was sidelined by a hamstring injury in the Falcons’ last game before the bye, and Ridder came in and completed 4 of 6 passes for 29 yards against Arizona.

“We have a lot of confidence in Des,” Atlanta coach Arthur Smith said. “Over the last couple weeks, he has handled it really well. I think the time (as a backup) was very beneficial for him.

“Des did a lot of good things (during his time as a reserve). In Arizona, you could see how prepared he was. We had confidence in Des then and we have confidence in him moving forward.”

Smith said he plans to keep Ridder as the starter for the rest of the season.

“You get a different perspective of not only yourself but the offense as a whole,” Ridder said of his time on the sideline. “There are a lot of things where I’d like to have gone back and done better. I could’ve protected the ball better, but there are a lot of (instances) where I could’ve done things to not be in those situations, whether it’s footwork or your reads or your progressions.”

Atlanta kicker Younghoe Koo (back) did not practice Wednesday.

The Falcons will visit New Orleans in the regular-season finale.

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

Arthur Smith explains Falcons’ confidence in Desmond Ridder at QB1

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Following the bye week, Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith announced on Monday that Desmond Ridder will be the team’s starting quarterback for the remainder of the season.

Ridder was benched at halftime during Atlanta’s 28-23 loss to Tennessee in Week 8 in favor of Taylor Heinecke primarily due to his struggles with turnovers. He sat out in a home loss to Minnesota, then nearly rallied the Falcons to a comeback win over Arizona after Heinecke left the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.

“Des did a lot of good things during his time as a reserve,” Smith said. “In Arizona, you could see how prepared he was. He was confident and clearly wanted the ball in his hands. We had confidence in Des then and we have confidence in him moving forward.”

In nine games (eight starts) this season, Ridder has completed 161 of 246 passes (65.4 percent) for 1,740 yards and six touchdowns. He’s also the Falcons’ third-leading rusher with 150 yards and four scores on the ground.

But the eye-popping stats are the six interceptions and six lost fumbles. Smith hopes that a reboot by spending two games watching from the sideline will help Ridder moving forward.

“We have a lot of confidence in Des,” Smith said. “Over the last couple weeks, he has handled it really well. There were a lot of things going on. I think the time (as a backup) was very beneficial for him.”

Now that he has the QB1 title again, Ridder said he has to “take it and run with it.”

“You get a different perspective of not only yourself but the offense as a whole,” Ridder said of his time as the backup. “Sometimes I feel like, whether it’s a practice or whatever, we lacked energy. So, we’ve got to keep energy up in practice and energy up all throughout the game.”

The Falcons (4-6, 2-0 NFC South) host the division rival New Orleans Saints (5-5, 1-1) Sunday with first place on the line in the NFC South.

The Saints, also off a bye week, lost 27-19 at Minnesota their last time out, but beat the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears prior to that.

Derek Carr, who has passed for 2,231 and 10 touchdowns, left the game with Minnesota after injuring his shoulder and entering concussion protocol. Carr remains in concussion protocol as of Monday, so Jameis Winston could be behind center when the two teams hook up this Thanksgiving weekend.

“He’s still got to go through practice and all that so, no, he’s not ready as of yet,” New Orleans head coach Dennis Allen said when asked about his starting quarterback Monday. “Can’t really comment on it, but he’s in the protocol.”

This week’s meeting will be a reunion for Falcons’ defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who was the Saints’ defensive line coach for six years before being named Atlanta’s DC.

It will also mark the first time former New Orleans players and current Atlanta standouts Kaden Ellis and David Onyemata get a chance to beat their old team. Ellis is tied for the team lead in tackles with 73, including four for loss, and has two sacks. Onyemata has been a force on the Falcons’ defensive line and is tied with Arnold Ebiketie for the team lead in sacks with 3.5.

Defensively, Atlanta ranks seventh in total yards per game (308.8), 14th in rushing yards per game (108.4), ninth in passing yards per game (200.4) and tied for 17th in points allowed (21.7) in Nielsen’s first season with the team.

–New Orleans standout cornerback Marshon Lattimore (ankle) and wideout Michael Thomas (knee) are dealing with injuries that “are going to take some time” to heal, according to Allen.

–Ridder on the matchup with the Saints: “It’s a huge division game, a huge division opponent. …We need to negate the self-inflicted (issues) that may happen throughout the game.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) runs for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Falcons make Desmond Ridder QB1 for rest of season

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Atlanta Falcons announced Monday that Desmond Ridder has regained the starting quarterback role for this week and the rest of the season.

The move comes amid a hamstring injury to Taylor Heinicke, who started the past two games.

“There was a lot of things going on,” Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said. “Everybody’s got their own stories or you look at the history certain things that have gone on with different players and quarterbacks and things have come up.

“… So there’s a lot going on but I think things, the way they worked out, I think we’re in a good spot and certainly Des is prepared and fired up and ready to go.”

Smith said Logan Woodside would be Ridder’s primary backup this week against visiting New Orleans if Heinicke is unavailable to play. The Falcons had a bye in Week 11.

Ridder started the Falcons’ first eight games before being evaluated for a concussion during a game against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 29. Heinicke entered that game and started the past two for Atlanta (4-6).

Ridder, 24, has completed 65.4 of his passes for 1,740 yards with six touchdowns and six interceptions in nine games this season. He was selected by Atlanta in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Heinicke, 30, completed 55.4 percent of his passes for 498 yards with three touchdowns and one pick in parts of three games this season.

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA;Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) looks down field against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Falcons turn back to Desmond Ridder as QB1

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder is expected to return to the starting role when the team returns from its bye this week, NFL Network reported on Sunday.

Ridder started the Falcons’ first eight games of the season before being evaluated for a concussion during a game against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 29. Taylor Heinicke entered that game and started the past two for Atlanta (4-6), which returns to face the visiting New Orleans Saints on Nov. 26.

Ridder relieved Heinicke when he sustained a hamstring injury in the second half of the Falcons’ 25-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday.

Ridder, 24, has completed 65.4 of his passes for 1,740 yards with six touchdowns and six interceptions in nine games this season. He was selected by Atlanta in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Heinicke, 30, completed 55.4 percent of his passes for 498 yards with three touchdowns and one pick in parts of three games this season.

–Field Level Media

Nov 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) hands off to running back Bijan Robinson (7) in the second half] at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Smith: ‘Premature’ to commit to Falcons’ QB entering bye week

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Atlanta Falcons enter their bye week mired in a three-game losing streak and facing critical questions ahead of their closing seven-game stretch to the regular season.

At 4-6, they are still only a game behind New Orleans in the NFC South, so the playoffs remain a distinct possibility. But to make a run at the postseason, Atlanta must first address what has led to six losses in the past eight games.

The biggest question is what to do at quarterback.

Taylor Heinicke has started the past two games after relieving Desmond Ridder during a Week 8 loss at Tennessee. He has managed the offense adequately, but has thrown only two touchdowns against one interception the past two weeks — both games the Falcons led before ultimately losing in the final minute.

Heinicke was replaced by Ridder in the second half of Sunday’s loss at Arizona after suffering a hamstring injury. It’s a “low grade” strain, meaning Heinicke will likely be available after the bye week, but coach Arthur Smith was in no hurry to commit to his starting quarterback for a critical Week 12 home game against New Orleans.

“We’re at the bye week, so we’ll take some time, step back and look at everything. A little premature,” Smith said Monday when asked about the quarterback situation. “Obviously, both of those guys have done some good things and other things that we have to assess and see where we’re at. At the start of next week, we’ll come back in, get a bonus day on Monday, and we’ll go from there.

“Just got to take a step back and look at it and make sure we’re doing what’s best for the team.”

The Falcons also close the season at New Orleans, and none of their seven remaining opponents currently has a winning record.

That’s the cup-half-full side of the equation. The other side is the reality that Atlanta has lost to Washington, Tennessee, Minnesota and Arizona in the past five weeks — teams with a combined 15-24 record.

Smith could return to Ridder, who started the first eight games. The second-year quarterback has thrown six touchdowns and six interceptions as part of his 84.1 passer rating, but he did run of a 9-yard touchdown with 2:33 remaining on Sunday to put Atlanta up 23-22.

“There are things that I think he’s done really well as a young player,” Smith said when asked how the time on the bench may have benefited Ridder. “Sometimes you need a fresh perspective. That’s what I think helped him. And I think you saw when he got in there. I saw his confidence and I saw a guy that’s the reason we love him and wanted him here coming out.

“The guy wants the ball in his hands in critical moments. He has done a lot of good. But the reset, the re-focus and working on things that I thought could help him, and he’s done that.”

The Falcons are now 18-26 under Smith, who went 7-10 in each of his first two seasons in Atlanta. They’re heading toward a similar record if they’re unable to make significant improvement coming out of the bye.

While the ground game has been effective, including 95 yards by rookie Bijan Robinson on Sunday, the passing game mustered only 70 yards against the Cardinals, who entered the game with one victory on the season.

Smith said he doesn’t plan to make any changes to his staff, and is aware that many frustrated fans are calling for him to be fired.

“You embrace it — the good, the bad, the pressure,” Smith said. “The good news is we’re not dead.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke (4) throws against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Falcons encounter QB questions once more as Taylor Heinicke hurt

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Atlanta Falcons will be facing quarterback questions yet again after Taylor Heinicke exited Sunday’s 25-23 loss to the host Arizona Cardinals with a hamstring injury.

Heinicke was just 8-of-15 passing for 55 yards and a touchdown before the injury early in the fourth quarter. He was hurt when he scrambled for an 8-yard gain and was hit by Zaven Collins.

Desmond Ridder, who began the season as Atlanta’s starter, entered and guided the Falcons on a touchdown drive on their next possession. Ridder scored with his legs from 9 yards out, but his two-point conversion pass failed, making it 23-22.

The Cardinals then drove 70 yards in 11 plays for the game-winning field goal as time expired.

There was no update on Heinicke’s injury immediately after the game. Atlanta (4-6) enters its bye week on a three-game losing streak.

It was Heinicke’s second start since being given the job earlier this month. Ridder, before Sunday, had thrown for 1,701 yards with six touchdowns, six interceptions and seven fumbles this season.

“That’s not really my decision,” Ridder said when asked whether he may regain the starting role. “My job is to go in and be Taylor’s backup and do what I can, and I think I did my job in that regard.”

–Field Level Media