Atlanta Falcons QB Made ‘A Lot of Progress,’ says Coach Arthur Smith

Despite ongoing turnover issues, Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith sees positive development in quarterback Desmond Ridder’s performance. In Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ridder threw for a career-high 347 passing yards but struggled with familiar flaws that previously led to a two-game benching.

While Ridder delivered impressive statistics, including a 36-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Pitts and an eight-yard rushing touchdown, he also threw an interception and fumbled twice, one resulting in a safety. A crucial error during the first drive forced the Falcons to settle for a field goal, ultimately impacting the game’s outcome.

Smith acknowledged Ridder’s progress, citing improvement in small aspects of his game. Despite the challenges, Smith believes Ridder often does enough to put the team in a position to win, emphasizing the quarterback’s growth in his 15 starts.

The Falcons have a 6-5 record in games started by Ridder this season and an 8-7 overall record under his leadership. Smith acknowledged the team’s inconsistency, with notable highs and lows in offensive performance, emphasizing the need to improve and eliminate critical errors.

While Ridder has shown the ability to lead go-ahead scoring drives late in games, the Falcons are looking for more consistent performance throughout all four quarters. Smith expressed optimism about Ridder’s response heading into the upcoming game against the Carolina Panthers.

Despite Ridder’s career-high 13.3 yards per completion and ability to push the ball down the field, the Falcons historically haven’t fared well in games where he completed at least 20 passes. Smith hopes to see improvements in the remaining games of the season, recognizing the importance of eliminating key mistakes for a potential postseason berth.

As the Falcons enter the final quarter of the season, Smith stressed the need to put everything into the upcoming games, starting with a matchup against the Carolina Panthers. The Falcons (6-7) will face the Panthers (1-12) at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST.