'Gave Us a Chance': Falcons' Arthur Smith Evaluates Desmond Ridder vs. Lions
After a strong showing in the second half of last week's victory over the Green Bay Packers, second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder struggled in the Atlanta Falcons' 20-6 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday inside Ford Field.
Ridder completed 21 of 38 passes for 201 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions while being sacked seven times, the last of which resulting in a fumble that effectively brought the game to a close with just two minutes to play.
But really, the game felt over much earlier than that, largely because Atlanta's offense couldn't find a rhythm or, as Ridder said afterwards, get anything going.
Naturally, the blame goes to the quarterback, which Ridder accepted, but Falcons coach Arthur Smith doesn't believe the 24-year-old was the root cause of Atlanta's problems.
"He gave us a chance," Smith said. "Obviously there's going to be a couple throws you want back. Clearly, when you lose like that, there's not a lot to feel great about, and that's anybody and everybody. It's going to take all 11 of us."
Atlanta's offense struggled mightily the entire afternoon, with eight of its 12 drives ending after four plays or less.
The Falcons (2-1) posted their fewest rushing yards (44) since Nov. 18, 2021. The seven sacks allowed were the highest since Smith took over in Jan. 2021 and most since Nov. 22, 2020, against the New Orleans Saints.
A strength of the team last year, Atlanta's offensive line is off to a disappointing start ... but Ridder, even after spending considerable time on the turf, remains confident.
"I'm not worried about those guys up front," Ridder said. "Those guys did a great job. I've got to get the ball out of my hands quicker, make better reads. All five of those guys, I love those guys. They did good out there. I don't put it on them, more so myself."
Smith pointed out that many of the sacks came under different circumstances, citing rush plans and the ability for Detroit's pass rush to pin its ears back in obvious passing situations as two key reasons for the struggles in protection.
The offensive line was, without question, a problem - but the Falcons' offense continues to leave a lot to be desired. Through three weeks, the unit has managed only 16 first-half points, and the loss to Detroit showed how inept the offense becomes when the rushing attack struggles.
Ridder noted afterwards that getting going early, keeping momentum throughout the game and bouncing back quickly when struggles occur will be important factors moving forward.
But that's commonplace and, more importantly, an overall trend that has haunted Ridder since taking over as the starter in the final four games of last season, during which Atlanta scored just 30 first-half points.
The former third-round pick is now 0-3 in road games, and apart from his convincing second-half performance vs. the Packers, has largely left a lot to be desired.
Preparation wasn't a factor in this defeat, Ridder expressed. Instead, the Falcons simply couldn't execute or get rolling ... and will fly home from the Motor City with plenty of questions to answer.
"I wouldn't say it's a rude awakening, more so just a test," Ridder said. "And obviously, we failed that test."
Moving forward, Atlanta hopes it can review the test questions and come back with better solutions next week, proving this was just a blimp on the radar against a Lions team that has playoff aspirations.
But Ridder wants the focus to be on the Falcons; he said postgame that it's often about losing to oneself instead of the opponent.
Atlanta entered this season - and game - with high optimism and lofty expectations. So far, there have been signs of what the Falcons can be ... and also just how far they have to go.
"We know where we want to be at the end of this season (and) we know what this team is supposed to be," Ridder said. "Through three weeks, we haven't even skimmed the surface of what we're supposed to be. We haven't really played as a full team yet."
The Falcons' next opportunity to do that comes next Sunday in London, where they'll take on the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) at 9:30 a.m. EST.
However, this week's game doesn't just go away. The offensive line struggles, the inefficiency from Ridder and overall lackluster performance prompts questions that will need valid answers sooner than later.
And if not, the Falcons may not be able to show just how good they know they can be.
