Falcons Stick with QB Marcus Mariota; What's It Mean for Rookie Desmond Ridder?

The Atlanta Falcons will continue to start veteran Marcus Mariota at quarterback over rookie Desmond Ridder. Considering Mariota's difficult stretch of games, does it spell trouble for Ridder?

Despite widespread calls for change from outside the building, the Atlanta Falcons will be moving forward with Marcus Mariota at quarterback.

The decision, coach Arthur Smith announced Monday was "never" a situation. How so? Smith cited Atlanta's standing in the playoff race, just one game behind both the division lead and final wild card position.

But if Mariota, who's eclipsed the 200-yard passing mark only once in the last seven games, truly gives the Falcons the best chance to reach the postseason, what does that say about the current status of backup quarterback Desmond Ridder?

The Falcons have kept quiet on Ridder's development, and nobody from outside the team has seen him take a competitive rep since the preseason finale in late August. The third-round pick out of Cincinnati hasn't yet played against an opponent's first-team defense.

And yet, the calls for him to replace Mariota are undoubtedly present and growing louder by the game.

But, why?

It's simple: Mariota's proven what he can - and can't - do, with the returns spelling it out ... that he's likely not the long-term answer to replace 14-year franchise staple Matt Ryan.

But with Ridder, there's promise - better yet, there's hope. He fell to the No. 73 overall pick in the draft for a reason, but the talent and intangibles he put on display at Cincinnati showed up during the preseason.

And, once more, he can't find the field over the struggling Mariota.

If the Falcons can't stay afloat in the playoff race, Ridder will almost certainly get a chance to play this year, but there's a chance that it'll be too little, too late.

However, most importantly, Smith sees both Mariota and Ridder on the same practice field three times a week. He sees their strengths and weaknesses, and has handled pace of player development well, with starting safety Richie Grant serving as a shining example.

Smith and defensive coordinator Dean Pees brought Grant, a top-40 pick, along slowly, despite many clamoring for him to start over veterans Erik Harris and Duron Harmon. Now a second-year pro, Grant runs the back end of Atlanta's defense and is the team's third-leading tackler.

Lost in the pleas for change at quarterback is that Smith and his staff have set development plans for each rookie that they intend to follow, and there's little reason to speed up Ridder's process and attempt to create a spark on a 4-6 team with bigger flaws than just the player under center.

There's a fine line between "learning by fire" and stunting a player's growth, and Smith's already had success walking that tightrope. It's a natural reaction to want to see if Ridder can be the future at quarterback, but Smith isn't going to punt on this season - or expedite the two-time American Athletic Conference Player of the Year's development - quite yet.

Everybody wants to win; it's why the game is played. Perhaps nobody has more at stake than Smith and the rest of his staff, as coaches often have shorter leashes than anyone else.

Thus, it would make little sense to stick with Mariota for reasons unrelated to winning. Yes, it's possible that Ridder can improve the team's chances of victory - but there's also a chance for the exact opposite and a snowball effect that damages his future success.

So, while most could agree that Mariota's not exactly lit the world on fire of late, it's clear the staff believes he's far and away the best option to help the team win now ... and potentially benefit Ridder in the long haul.

Sticking with the embattled Mariota isn't necessarily an indication that Ridder isn't what the Falcons thought when they drafted him; instead, it's largely the opposite - he's a third-round quarterback who has talent but needs time to grow, and he's getting that opportunity now.

True, the Falcons won't fully know what they have in Ridder until he gets regular-season starting experience - but for now, Smith and staff know that Mariota offers the best chance to win this Sunday, and considering they're the ones who work most closely with both passers, they hold all of the information needed to make the correct judgement.

Yes, if Mariota has a rough game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, the fans inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium will let him have it. Still, the coaching staff appears steadfast in its support of this path, and it's unlikely much will change until Atlanta's Week 14 bye.

The Falcons, with Mariota set to be under center and Ridder on the sideline, and Bears, led by Georgia native Justin Fields at quarterback, are set to kick off at 1 p.m.

---

You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

Get your HOTlanta Falcons game tickets from SI Tickets ... here!

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Falcons? Click Here.

Follow Falcon Report on Twitter.