We have received the first Bair Mail in more than a week. That might be the record for the biggest mailbag gap since I’ve been here. Hope you understand. We had a bye, and then a really hectic week.
Not sure if you’ve heard, but the Falcons made a quarterback trade. It hasn’t really been in the news or a hot topic in the fanbase or anything, so I thought I’d make sure you knew. Have.
Desmond Ridder will make his first NFL regular season start on Sunday in New Orleans, a meaningful contest that will keep the Falcons in the NFC South race or push them too far back for realistic contention. Or maybe something in between if the rest of the division keeps losing. Who knows in this odd division.
Let’s get to your questions which, unsurprisingly, center around the quarterback situation:
Mike S from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Do you think four meaningful games will be enough time to see if he is the future? I hope he is, but we’ll probably have to know before the draft if we’re going to be on the QB merry-go-round next year. Definitely more than excited to see what he can do – S/O to Tori, we should start calling him “The Ruckus.”
Bair: You need a larger sample size to know for sure. Anyone can go red-hot, or start out cold, and then go the other way. The Falcons will look closely at Desmond Ridder’s game tape, going over it with a fine-toothed comb, looking for signs of how he runs the offense, how he works under pressure and how he reacts to mistakes.
I also want to see if he has the clutch gene. When it’s 3rd and 15 or whatever and an important drive is on the line, can he make a good throw? He won’t win every moment, maybe not every game, but is he learning? The bigger question here: does he deserve more time? Unless it’s a disaster, the answer to that question should be yes. I think it will be yes, given Ridder’s collegiate track record, arm talent and commitment to the craft.
All of which will affect where on the offseason priority list the quarterback falls. If Ridder does well, it could be in the middle or closer to the bottom. They must add at least one. When that happens and how much it costs (in dollars or draft capital) will say more than any coach will ever say about what they thought about the Knights’ four games at the helm.
Ok simple question. Did MM get angry and quit the team because he was demoted?
Bair: Hi Jim. Thanks for the question. I have a very hard time using the word “quit” in this situation. Marcus Mariota has never proven to be that type of guy. He has a strong reputation as a good leader and team player. And frankly, we don’t know if he was dealing with something on the quiet that needed to be fixed more urgently than he let on. There’s no way Mariota was happy about a demotion — who would be? – but going from pissed off to quitting is a big leap I’m not willing to take.
Having Mariota as an asset in the meeting room probably could have helped Ridder. But the point is, we don’t have all the facts about Mariota’s injury status, because the guy who’s injured hasn’t talked about it. Instead, we’ll look at what Arthur Smith has said about it.
Here’s Smith from Monday, on his discussion with Mariota about a merit-based quarterback switch:
“Well, I’m in a different role, obviously, Mike Vrabel was the head coach then, and it’s a head coach’s decision. I was a coordinator, so it was a lot different this time — a whole different set of circumstances. They’re never easy for any position, certainly for something as high profile as a quarterback that gets the most attention. Of course, aware of that as well, but you try to be truthful and whether they agree or not, those are conversations you have to have and that’s what we did, and we had it in person Thursday morning.”
Here’s Smith from Wednesday regarding Mariota having surgery during the season despite never appearing on the injury report.
“Look, we’re not going to play this game of ‘gotcha.’ It’s pretty common in this league, a lot of guys in this league have things and things come up, it’s a rough sport. Things come up and things happen in pro football. A guy has a problem, you go to a doctor – that’s what happens. I’ll tell you what I have – he went to a doctor, he has a procedure scheduled and he’s going to the IR. That’s how it goes, we’ve had a lot of guys, CP [Cordarrelle Patterson] go on IR, Elijah Wilkinson goes on IR, you’ve got these spots now to return and that’s pretty common around the league. Our focus now is boys who are healthy and who are going to be active. We have to be ready to play a division game.”
Scott, would you rather make the playoffs, get eliminated in the first round and have a pick in the 20s for the first round of the draft or not make the playoffs and have a top 10 pick?
Bair: That Herm Edwards saying is always, always true in my book. You play to win the game. That’s it. Full stop. I understand the logic that a better draft pick can affect a team longer than a few extra wins that don’t land you in the postseason, even if I don’t like it. I don’t understand the logic of a postseason berth coupled with a first round exit not being as good as a higher draft pick.
The Falcons should and will push to win as many as possible over these last four and try to finish on top. I think they have to win out to make the playoffs, but they’re still in it after losing by five because the NFC South keeps them in it. A solid move would mean the Falcons end on a high note, with a quarterback you feel good about moving forward and a better foundation than the team is given credit for. It will take solid performance from some younger players to get there, and those contributions also make you feel like you’re not too far off with tons of cap space to use in free agency.
So, in sum, always go for it. If you fall short, ok. If you rise and enter, never apologize for it.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder #4 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo: Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons running back B.J. Baylor #36 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons inside linebacker Mykal Walker #3 catches a ball during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo: Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Jay Bendlin/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell #24 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons cornerback Mike Ford #28 walks across the field during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo: Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Jay Bendlin/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Frank Darby #88 laughs during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo: Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Jay Bendlin/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter #9 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Josh Ali #80 jogs during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo: Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Jay Bendlin/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons inside linebacker Nathan Landman #55 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Josh Ali #80 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo: Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman Grady Jarrett #97 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo: Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons coach Dean Pees during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo: Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London #5 and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder #4 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter #9 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell #24 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier #25 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons inside linebacker Nathan Landman #55 during practice in Flowery Branch, Ga., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (Photo by Shanna Lockwood/Atlanta Falcons)
Shanna Lockwood/© 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Is Sam Howell going to start?
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Is Desmond Ridder a starter? ATLANTA â Former University of Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Desmond Ridder has been named the starter for the Atlanta Falcons, according to multiple reports and updated team depth charts.
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