Getty A key starter on the Falcons' offense struggled mightily vs. the Jets.
More offense is one of the many things the Atlanta Falcons need to be competitive during the 2022 NFL season. Last season’s unit ranked 26th in points and 29th in yards, and that was before longtime franchise quarterback Matt Ryan was traded to the Indianapolis Colts.
Now the Falcons are relying on either former Las Vegas Raiders backup Marcus Mariota or rookie Desmond Ridder to spark an improvement. Both QBs will be helped by a cadre of intriguing new weapons, including wide receivers Drake London and Damiere Byrd, along with running back Damien Williams.
The changes should make a positive difference, but the early attempts at making progress have not been encouraging. Not based on the way a key starter on the Falcons’ offense struggled mightily during recent joint practices with the New York Jets.
Ominous Signs From Projected Starter
Several joint practices took place between the Jets and Falcons ahead of their Week 2 preseason game at MetLife Stadium. Parts of those sessions pitted Atlanta’s starting offense against the Jets’ defensive starters, a matchup that didn’t go well for Mariota.
The Falcons designated starting quarterback had trouble leading a two-minute offense, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, whose colleague Michael Rothstein, shared an ominous note about the problems, tweeting “This seems not great.”
Unfortunately, Mariota’s issues weren’t limited to his accuracy throwing the football. There were also problems in pass protection.
One particular costly breakdown was noticed by Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic:
Jets defense sacks Mariota on 4th and 10 during a two min drill. Defense shut down the Falcons offense all day.
Of course, a few struggles in practice aren’t necessarily a cast-iron precursor of inevitable problems once the real action begins. Yet, these kinds of growing pains are still an issue for a team looking to avoid major regression in their rebuilding process.
Mariota is one of the keys to making sure the Falcons don’t take a significant step back from last season’s 7-10 finish. He’s trying to revive his career after tanking with the Tennessee Titans, despite being drafted second overall in 2015.
It’s been tough sledding for Mariota since, and two seasons riding the bench for the Silver and Black haven’t increased optimism he can still make the grade as a starter. Only accomplished performances this preseason will offer encouragement Mariota is capable of getting the job done for the Falcons.
QB Competition Not Over
Head coach Arthur Smith knows Mariota well, having been his offensive coordinator with the Titans in 2019. That experience likely played a part in the Falcons’ decision to name Mariota the starter ahead of Ridder.
It’s surely a loose designation, though, since Mariota lost his job to Ryan Tannehill on Smith’s watch three years ago. That’s why it’s easy to believe the Falcons’ quarterback competition isn’t over yet, especially with Ridder seizing his opportunities to impress.
The third-round pick completed 10 of 22 passes, including the game-winning touchdown to wide receiver Jared Bernhardt, in Atlanta’s 27-23 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 1:
Ridder 🤝 Bernhardt
Stealing our hearts
📺: @nflnetwork | @FOX5Atlanta
📲: Falcons App
Ridder built on his in-game heroics by upstaging Mariota during some of those sessions against the Jets. Specifically, the rookie managed to be more effective when operating the hurry-up offense.
Those improvements were detailed by Miles Garrett of Fox 5 Atlanta:
Desmond Ridders turn to lead a 2-minute drill. He has a very impressive play, escaping pressure and threads the needle to the middle to Damiere Byrd.
Ends it with a TD plus a 2-point conversion.
It would surprise few observers if Ridder sees the field as a starter at some point during the regular season. He arrived in Atlanta with a decent pedigree from his collegiate days at Cincinnati, where Ridder threw for 3,334 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2021.
Ridder’s proficient through the air, but like Mariota, he’s also a threat on the ground, having rushed for 2,180 yards and 28 scores during his career with the Bearcats.
There’s every chance Mariota is merely keeping the starting role warm for Ridder’s eventual elevation. It will happen sooner rather than later if the first-year signal-caller continues to outplay the veteran in preseason action.