Falcon Report

Taylor Heinicke vs. Desmond Ridder: Who Starts in Falcons Season Finale?

Desmond Ridder could start in the Atlanta Falcons' Week 18 game against the New Orleans Saints if Taylor Heinicke remains injured.

Jeremy Brener

In this story:

The Atlanta Falcons are playing meaningful football in Week 18, and while their odds are long, there's still a chance that the team can clinch the NFC South and qualify for the playoffs.

The biggest issue plaguing the team throughout the season has been quarterback play, and after making the switch back to Taylor Heinicke from Desmond Ridder two weeks ago, the former struggled mightily in Sunday's loss against the Chicago Bears, completing just 34.5 percent of his passes for 163 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions.

Desmond Ridder Taylor Heinicke
USA Today Sports

Heinicke was dealing with an ankle injury, and even though he said it didn't contribute to his poor play, he remains questionable for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints, according to coach Arthur Smith.

Per NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the team should know who will start by Friday and will prepare Desmond Ridder in case Heinicke can't go.

Ridder has started 12 games this season, having last played in Week 15's loss against the Carolina Panthers, where the team scored just seven points on the league's worst team.

'They Beat Our Ass!' Heinicke Struggles at Bears, Falcons QB Question Continues

In a game where the team needs to win, the quarterback needs to be in tip top shape, and if Heinicke isn't, then Ridder will reluctantly be the choice.

The Falcons and Saints are set to kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday inside Caesars Superdome.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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