'Take Advantage!': Atlanta Falcons' Desmond Ridder Explains Lesson Learned From Benching

A lesson learned from his benching helped Desmond Ridder lead the Atlanta Falcons to victory over the New Orleans Saints.

So far, it has been a rollercoaster of a season for the Atlanta Falcons. Following a 2-0 start, they suffered a slip, losing six of their next eight games, which included a three-game losing streak. 

That hot and cold start has mirrored the performance of second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder. The former third-round pick did enough to help the Falcons win their first two games this season. However, things began to change following the Week 3 loss to the Detroit Lions.

From there on, Ridder had at least one turnover in four of the next five games. That stretch of turnover-plagued play saw him benched after halftime in the Week 8 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Getting benched can be a huge confidence breaker for many, especially when playing a position like quarterback. In some cases, players never recover. However, that hasn't been the case for Ridder. 

"I learned that—and not necessarily talking about being benched or whatever it may be—but this time and this game, it can come and go," Ridder said when looking back on what he learned during his benching. "You can't take nothing for granted, you can't take a single play for granted. You have to take advantage of every opportunity that's given to you when it's given to you, so just make sure that when that next time were to come that, you're doing everything possible to keep yourself in that situation."

Taking advantage of an opportunity is exactly what Ridder did when the roles were reversed against the Arizona Cardinals. In the Week 10 loss, Taylor Heinicke was sidelined with a hamstring injury that allowed for Ridder's return to the field.

The return of Ridder came at a time when the Falcons were trailing in the fourth quarter and needed a touchdown to take the lead. After a 15-play drive led by Ridder ended in a turnover on downs, he did deliver that touchdown as he took a read option quarterback keeper 12 yards for a score the next possession.

While Ridder's heroics off the bench weren't enough for the Falcons to win the game. The performance was enough to see Ridder re-earn the starting job just in time for the Falcons clash with their NFC South rivals, the New Orleans Saints, in a game determining who would sit in first place.

Nov 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) drops back to pass against the New Orleans Saints in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.   / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

While the stat sheet reads two interceptions for Ridder, it doesn't tell the whole story. Sunday wasn't a case of "here we go again." Rather, the second-year signal-caller showed improvement from the last time fans saw him in the starting role. Ridder was much more active out of pocket, using his legs often when plays downfield weren't there.

His ability to scramble gave the Saints' defense trouble as he kept the Falcons' offense on the field. However, maybe the biggest improvement from Ridder was his response to the second interception, where Tyrann Mathieu punished him for an ill-advised throw in the fourth quarter. 

Following a Jessie Bates forced fumble that prevented the Saints from capitalizing on the Ridder interception with a lead-changing score, Ridder had another chance to put the game away. 

And he didn't let it slip away, completing all four of his passes for 76 yards, capping off a nine-play drive with a 26-yard touchdown pass to rookie running back Bijan Robinson.

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With the Falcons back atop the division at 5-6, Ridder will again look to take advantage of another chance to "stack wins" when the Falcons travel to MetLife Stadium to the New York Jets. Kickoff inside MetLife Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST.