Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder has not exactly developed a big fan club since taking over as the starter last season, but head coach Arthur Smith is tired of hearing the Ridder slander.
When asked about all of the criticism surrounding Ridder this year, Smith said that “toxic group think” was the reason, via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.
Group think is certainly an issue in society, especially in today’s technological age where everything is at your fingertips and everyone has an opinion they can instantly share.
Ridder took over as the Falcons’ starting signal-caller late last season, going 2-2 in four starts and throwing for 708 yards and two touchdowns while completing 63.5 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 86.4.
Apparently, Atlanta saw enough from Ridder to roll with him as the starter again in 2023, but the early returns have not been great.
While the Falcons are 4-3 and sit in first place in the NFC South, much of that has been in spite of some mediocre (at best) play from Ridder.
Through the first seven weeks of the season, Ridder has totaled 1,630 yards, six touchdowns and six picks while completing 65.4 percent of his throws and registering a passer rating of 84.1.
Most recently, Ridder went 19-for-25 with 250 yards in a Week 7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the youngster lost three fumbles, nearly costing his team the victory.
Ridder has now lost five fumbles on the year as a whole and has turned the ball over 11 times in 2023, more than anyone else in the league. He has six giveaways over the last two weeks.
There have even been instances where Ridder’s teammates have become frustrated with him on the sideline, which has led some to question just how confident the Falcons actually feel with Desmond Ridder under center.
The 24-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Cincinnati, was selected by Atlanta in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Falcons will take on the Tennessee Titans this Sunday.
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