The Atlanta Falcons have changed their quarterback.
After losing veteran quarterback Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts during the offseason, the Falcons brought in Marcus Mariota.
In his first year as a Falcon, Mariota has struggled.
His Falcons are 5-8 on the season so far and are only still in playoff contention due to the poor performances of the other teams in the NFC South.
The majority of their games have been close, with the Falcons either winning or losing by one possession.
This means that scoring a good number of points is important, with an offense led by a reliable quarterback.
Atlanta may not have that this weekend, as Mariota was benched due to an apparent knee injury.
He would be replaced by rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder.
Falcons HC Arthur Smith said he hopes this move to Desmond Ridder helps the team become a more balanced offense as well.
Keep from predictability.
Didn't want to get into how it might help Drake London specifically.
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) December 14, 2022
Ridder To Restore Balance Back To The Falcons?
When speaking to the media, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said that the decision to bring Ridder on will help the team “become more balanced.”
Ridder has never played a game in the NFL before.
He led the Cincinnati Bearcats to the College Football Playoff last season, before losing the semi-final to Alabama.
Smith believes that the input of Ridder to the Falcons’ offense will help them, and give them a new lease on life.
He did not say how the quarterback change would affect the performance of Drake London, the team’s main offensive target
But Ridder and London are both young players who are recently out of college.
Ridder may see London as a safe and reliable target, which will be used to help him gain the confidence required to quarterback in the NFL.
NEXT: The Falcons Have An Easy Marcus Mariota Decision To Make