Falcons QB Desmond Ridder Will Start Week 15

Losers of four of their past five games, the Atlanta Falcons are shaking things up under center. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder will start against the New Orleans Saints following Atlanta’s Week 14 bye.

The news comes in the wake of recent comments by head coach Arthur Smith, who said, “Everything is on the table” regarding a possible quarterback change. Ridder replaces former starter Marcus Mariota, who led the Falcons to a 5-8 record while posting a QB rating of 88.2, 20th among all qualified quarterbacks.

Atlanta selected Ridder in the third round of the 2022 draft following a successful four-year career at Cincinnati, where he was twice named AAC Offensive Player of the Year. The 23-year-old will look to jumpstart a Falcons offense that has scored 20+ points just twice over the last seven weeks.

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