Tag: Desmond Ridder

Busters for Raiders week 15 loss to Falcons

Where things went wrong for the Raiders in their loss to the Falcons.

The Ballers were made up mostly of defensive players. It was the offense and special teams that doomed the Raiders in this one. So, the makeup the Busters may not surprise you.

Busters

QB Desmond Ridder

This offense was severely hampered by the limitations of Ridder. He had several opportunities in this game, provided by the Raiders defense, on which he couldn’t capitalize.

Only once in the first three quarters did the Raiders get past the 50-yard-line. And even the one that did move into Atlanta territory ended with two bad throws by Ridder. Both were for Brock Bowers, the first was too low and the other was an overthrow and the Raiders settled for a long field goal.

Just before the half, he finally connected for a decent gain to Bowers. Then followed it up with another bad overthrow to Bowers and then took a sack to send the two teams to the locker room with a 9-3 Falcons lead.

The third quarter saw the Raiders offense convert one first down. One. The first possession, Ridder was sacked twice, neither were the fault of his Oline. Then after the only first down — on an Alexander Mattison run — he overthrew Tre Tucker, nearly threw an interception, and rolled out right and threw the ball away. He had one more three-and-out in the quarter.

To lead out the fourth quarter, the Raiders possession ended with two incompletions — one on an overthrown screen pass — and Ridder getting sacked. Again, it was not the fault of his Oline. Next series lasted two plays with Ridder throwing an interception, giving the Falcons the ball already in scoring range. It was just luck that they missed the field goal.

Most of Ridder’s completed passes came on the final two drives. But being flagged for a delay of game on fourth and three certainly didn’t help matters. It meant it would take an amazing play by Ameer Abdullah to keep hope alive.

STC Tom McMahon, S Chris Smith II

When’s the last time you saw three blocked kicks by one team in one game? I can’t recall ever seeing it before. But that’s what happened in this game.

Two of the blocked were on punts. Chris Smith was the personal protector and was blocking no one while a free runner got to AJ Cole. One of the blocks was a deflection that caused a punt to travel just 30 yards. The other was a full on block. Both gave the Falcons great field position.

The other block was on the extra point after the late touchdown. In this case, Michael Mayer was left to try and block two players on his own and that didn’t work out well.

Smith also missed the tackle on a 38-yard return to the 45-yard-line.

OC Scott Turner

Four times the Raiders offense started a drive inside their own ten-yard-line. And despite being backed up against their own end zone, Ridder lined up in the shotgun each time, often times handing the ball off. That’s a dangerous play as it mean the runner basically has three yards they have to run with the ball before they even reach the line of scrimmage.

The first time they did this was on a drive that started at their own three-yard-line. It led to consecutive tackles for loss and a safety to give the Falcons a 9-3 lead.

They did it again from their own three in the third quarter. Similar result. This time it was a run for no gain to start things off followed by two short catches and a punt.

The final time, they led out with another run for a loss. And the next play Ridder threw an interception to give the Falcons the ball in scoring range.

CB Jack Jones

The Falcons’ only touchdown was from some easy film study. Last week Jones bit on a sluggo off a pump fake for a long completion. So, with the Falcons at the Vegas 30-yard-line, they said ‘hey, let’s do that too’. And, so they did. And Jones bit, leaving Drake London wide open for the long touchdown.

On their second scoring drive, he gave up an eight-yard first down run and on their third scoring drive, he gave up a five-yard catch on third-and-four that put them in field goal range.

WR Jakobi Meyers

The first drive of the game, Meyers was given the ball on an end around and set up to pass the ball. But his target was double covered, so he instead took the sack for a ten-yard loss.

The next time they looked to Meyer, was to lead out the third quarter. He made the catch but pushed off and was called for offensive pass interference.

Next pass for him, he couldn’t get to it and it was knocked away. His first catch didn’t come until there was just over five minutes left in the game. To his credit, he had three catches on the drive for 26 yards and the Raiders would score the TD on the drive.

The final drive, he had a couple more catches. But also had one in his hands get knocked out on the way down. And on the hail mary on the final play, he let Jesse Bates high point him to make the interception.

C Jackson Powers-Johnson

JPJ gave up run stuffs for a loss on each of the first two possessions. The second leading to a three-and-out. Even on the field goal drive, he found himself blocking no one while the run was stuffed at the line.

The Raiders running backs averaged 2.17 yards per carry in the game on 17 carries. And while that certainly doesn’t fall on him alone, there weren’t any instances in which he was the key block on a run

T DJ Glaze

Overall, he seemed to have a decent game. But his holding penalty on the final drive was a killer. He was completely beaten on the play and his hold was about as obvious as you’ll see. It would take the Raiders four plays to make up for it, taking 44 vital seconds off the clock. Which ultimately meant the game hinged on Hail Mary passes, which is never a great bet.

See the Ballers

Raiders winners and losers in 15-9 defeat vs. Falcons

The Raiders threatened late but lost their 10th straight game. Which players and coaches stood out?

The Raiders looked dreadful for most of their Monday night matchup against the Falcons (7-7), but the Las Vegas offense caught fire late and had a chance for the go-ahead touchdown before a hail-mary attempt failed on the game’s final play.

The result was a 15-9 defeat for Las Vegas, their 10th straight. The Raiders were shorthanded, as quarterback Desmond Ridder started for an injured Aidan O’Connell. The defense, without star DE Maxx Crosby, played hard but only forced Atlanta’s turnover-prone quarterback, Kirk Cousins, into one interception.

Plus, the Las Vegas special teams allowed the Falcons to block two punts and one extra-point attempt. Here are the winners and losers after the Raiders record dropped to 2-12.

Winner: DT Jonah Laulu

Defensive tackle Jonah Laulu helped the Raiders defense get off to a solid start with a demonstrative QB sack early in the ball game. He also had a key play late as he dropped back into coverage on third down and batted the ball to the ground, forcing Atlanta to give Las Vegas the ball with enough time to drive down the field for their hail-mary attempt.

Laulu, a seventh-round pick by the Colts in the 2024 NFL Draft, has come on strong since earning playing time in Las Vegas. He finished with six total tackles and a QB hit in addition to his pass defensed and sack, the first QB takedown of his career.

Winner: DT Adam Butler

Defensive tackle Adam Butler was part of a solid pass rush effort from Las Vegas, notching a QB sack late in the second quarter. He also tipped a pass from Cousins that turned into an interception for the Raiders. He finished with six total tackles, his QB sack, a QB hit, a tackle for loss, and his pass breakup at the line of scrimmage.

Winner: LB Robert Spillane

Linebacker Robert Spillane intercepted Cousins on the Falcons’ first drive of the second half, giving the offense an opportunity they ultimately couldn’t capitalize on. On the drive following Spillane’s INT, the offense punted only for it to be blocked. It was Atlanta’s second blocked punt of the evening.

Spillane could have had an even better game, except for a questionable call from the officials. He was flagged for a roughing the passer penalty on Altanta’s final possession as he pressured Cousins on third down and forced an incompletion. Instead, the Falcons kept the ball for another set of downs before the Raiders could start their final drive.

Winner: RB Ameer Abdullah

Starting running back Sincere McCormick suffered a game-ending injury and running back Ameer Abdullah stepped up when given the opportunity. He caught a touchdown pass from Ridder to narrow the score to 15-9 with minutes remaining.

Loser: QB Desmond Ridder

Ridder was in a tough situation; he joined the Raiders midseason and found himself starting against this former team. He finished with 208 yards on 23-for-39 passing, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

Ridder has solid ability, but the odds were stacked against him on this night, especially as the Raiders had just 65 rushing yards, and 28 of those yards came from Ridder. In the end, he couldn’t overcome the rough hand he was dealt, even with his last-second chance at redemption.

Loser: OC Scott Turner

It seemed that Raiders offensive coordinator Scott Turner was only working with half his playbook due to Ridder’s inexperience in the Raiders offense. He was also hampered when McCormick went down. His offense only tallied 249 yards.

But he’s on the loser list for handing the ball not once but twice to running back Alexander Mattison as the Raiders were on their 3-yard line in the second quarter. Both runs went for a loss, the second resulting in a safety. It was on a run out of the shotgun formation; the Raiders offense operated exclusively out of this formation, a sign of the limited playbook used by Turner. Mattison has been one of the worst running backs in the NFL this season, running for an absurdly low average, and had already fumbled earlier in the game. Turner was foolish to give him the ball twice there.

Loser: RB Alexander Mattison

Mattison trucked a defender on a second-half run, but he had a dreadful evening overall. He fumbled on the Raiders’ first drive of the game on a 3rd-and-23 run designed to set up a punt and then was eaten alive in the end zone by the Falcons. Offensive linemen Kolton Miller and Jordan Meredith are honorable mention losers for their part in the safety as well.

Loser: CB Jack Jones

Cornerback Jack Jones gambled and lost on the Falcons’ only touchdown of the game, a pass from Cousins to wide receiver Drake London. Jones was burned badly on a double move.

Loser: Special teams coordinator Tom McMahon

The Raiders special teams were a mess on Monday night, allowing Falcons WR KhaDarel Hodge to block two punts. The Falcons also blocked the Raiders extra point try after Abdullah’s score.

Loser: HC Antonio Pierce

Will the Raiders win another game this season? At this point, it looks unlikely, even with the Jaguars coming to Las Vegas next week. Pierce is running the show, and this losing streak is a terrible look for him as he attempts to remain coach in 2025.

He too was dealt a bad hand with injuries to Crosby, who is out for the season, and O’Connell. But Pierce may have to produce some of the magic he manifested late last season that led to his ascension to head coach. Time is running out, and his squad will have another shot on Sunday against Jacksonville.

Antonio Pierce had advice for QB Desmond Ridder who gets start vs his former team

Raiders will start QB Desmond Ridder against the Falcons Monday Night. Ridder started 17 games with the Falcons the past two seasons.

After missing the entire week of practices, Aidan O’Connell tested out his knee injury prior to the Raiders’ Monday Night game against the Falcons. The team deemed him not healthy enough to go and he won’t play.

Making the start in his place will be Desmond Ridder, who, as it happens, faces the team with which he started 17 games over the past two seasons.

Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce is a former player. He spent his final five seasons in the NFL in the division rival (Giants) of the team he played with his first NFL seasons (Washington). Then in his first game as Raiders interim head coach last season, he faced the team with which he won a Super Bowl. So he knows what it’s like facing his former team

“Yeah, you’ve got to take the emotional part out of it,” Pierce said of Ridder facing his former team. “It’s not Desmond [Ridder] versus the Atlanta Falcons. It’s the Raiders versus the Atlanta Falcons, and he understands that. Listen, just do your job as a quarterback. We don’t need you to be Superman and go out there and win it by yourself. It’s a team sport. Understand what we’re trying to do with the game plan . . . But more importantly, don’t make it an individual matchup. That’s in your past. You’ve moved on, got a great opportunity here. Worry about that.”

Ridder was a third round pick by the Falcons. And this offseason they signed Kirk Cousins to a big contract and drafted Michael Penix Jr with the No. 8 overall pick, making Ridder expendable. He then signed onto the Cardinals practice squad and was later signed by the Raiders.

The Falcons losing to Desmond Ridder in a revenge game would be the worst 2024 thing

The Falcons really, really, really need to win on Monday night.

The Atlanta Falcons have cratered after a promising 6-3 start, but their 2024 season hasn’t totally been lost. That could change on Monday night.

Atlanta faces a 2-11 Las Vegas Raiders team on the road this week that won’t have its best player in defensive end Maxx Crosby and will be starting third-year quarterback Desmond Ridder to lead its offense.

Ridder, of course, is the 2023 Falcons quarterback who was benched twice for Taylor Heinicke and eventually traded to the Arizona Cardinals in March after Atlanta signed quarterback Kirk Cousins.

The Cousins experience built real momentum for the Falcons until the wheels came off. The Falcons have dropped four straight games since beating the Dallas Cowboys in early November to get to that 6-3 record, and Cousins’ substandard play has been a leading contributor to the decline.

Turnovers and red-zone woes have submarined a once-humming offense with Cousins at the helm. Particularly without Crosby to chase him around, the Falcons quarterback should have a rebound game against Las Vegas.

What if he doesn’t? The Falcons losing to a guy they traded away in March with a guy they just gave a monster contract would be one of the most Falcon-y embarrassments the team has faced in ages.

Cousins not playing well and the Falcons losing a game to a team with two wins in December would heighten the calls for rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. It would also show a Falcons team in free fall that can’t even get past the Raiders’ third-string quarterback who got jettisoned in the offseason to a Cardinals team that eventually sent him to the practice squad.

The Falcons can’t lose this game. They simply can’t. Their playoff hopes would basically vanish into thin air barring an epic Tampa Bay Buccaneers collapse and some real brazen luck elsewhere in the NFC that the franchise isn’t know to encounter.

The high-priced Cousins losing a quarterback duel to the exiled Ridder would feel like the death knell in a Falcons season that’s already going down the drain. While Penix offers a path to the future, this would be a pretty awful present situation for Atlanta to find itself in, and it’d raise some questions about the immediate status of the franchise. It’s up to the Falcons to avoid that grim reality and show why they’re still worthy of a playoff spot.

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Ex-Falcons QB Desmond Ridder expected to start vs. Atlanta

Ex-Falcons QB Desmond Ridder expected to start for Raiders on Monday Night Football

The Atlanta Falcons have gone through several quarterbacks since trading Matt Ryan away in 2022. Marcus Mariota, Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder each struck out as Ryan’s replacement and were eventually traded or released by the team.

Ridder may get a chance to exact some revenge against the Falcons in Week 15. The Las Vegas Raiders have listed starting quarterback Aidan O’Connell as questionable for tonight’s prime-time matchup on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.”

According to a report from Adam Schefter, O’Connell is not expected to play. If this is true, Ridder will get the start against his former team.

Ridder has played in four games this season, passing 239 yards and one touchdown without throwing an interception. However, this would be his first start since Week 18 of the 2023 season when the Falcons lost to the New Orleans Saints.

Atlanta originally drafted Ridder in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Cincinnati. The 25-year-old appeared in 15 games (13 starts) before getting traded to the Arizona Cardinals over the offseason.

The Falcons replaced Ridder with free agent Kirk Cousins in March. While the team initially succeeded with Cousins to begin the 2024 season, the veteran QB has hit a rough patch over the last four weeks.

Cousins has not thrown a touchdown during the Falcons’ four-game losing streak and many fans are ready to bring in rookie Michael Penix Jr.

Despite these calls for a chance, head coach Raheem Morris isn’t ready to make a move and the team will stick with Cousins for Monday night’s game against in Las Vegas.

If Cousins can’t outplay Ridder on national television, Morris may need to take a hard look at playing Penix for the rest of the season.

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Desmond Ridder gives thoughts on facing Falcons in Week 15

Raiders QB Desmond Ridder gives thoughts on potentially starting vs. the Falcons in Week 15

The Atlanta Falcons will take on the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15, and they may see a familiar face at quarterback. Former Falcons third-round pick Desmond Ridder is in line to start for the Raiders on Monday night with Aidan O’Connell battling a knee injury.

According to a report from ESPN, O’Connell is a “longshot” to play against Atlanta. Ridder downplayed the significance of potentially starting against his former team.

“Like I was told in the locker room after the game, God works in mysterious ways,” said Ridder. “Whether I play, whether I don’t play, whenever that decision is made. Like I’ve said every week, I’m excited and blessed to be able to go out there and step onto the field and to be able to go play the game that I love, the game that I grew up playing.”

Ridder has appeared in four games this season, passing for 239 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. The third-year QB said he’s staying ready regardless of the situation or team he faces.

“Whether it’s against the Falcons, the Titans, it doesn’t matter who it’s against,” explained Ridder.

Atlanta is preparing to face Ridder in Week 15 but defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake doesn’t see it as a major advantage.

“We know him, but it’s a different scheme,” said Lake. “I don’t think it’s a humongous advantage at all.”

The Falcons are 4.5-point favorites entering Sunday’s game in Las Vegas. The team will look to end a four-game losing streak and stay in the hunt for the NFC South crown.

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Desmond Ridder preparing as if he will start for Raiders Week 15 vs Falcons

Though Aidan O’Connell’s status for week 15 is still uncertain, Desmond Ridder is approaching week 15 as the Raiders starter vs the Falcons.

Wednesday morning head coach Antonio Pierce said that Aidan O’Connell would be participating in the team’s walk-thru and they would be keeping an eye on him throughout the week before they decide whether he will play.

Following practice, however, when the team’s starting QB was to meet with the media, Desmond Ridder and Aidan O’Connell each stepped behind the podium. Giving the indication that it’s very possible, Ridder could be the team’s starting QB come Monday.

Starting the week as the named starter is a luxury Ridder got many times last season in Atlanta, but he hasn’t experienced yet this season, first on the Cardinals practice squad and now in more than a month in Las Vegas.

“Yeah, that’s just sometimes not how it works in this league. Sometimes as a backup you only get a couple reps throughout the week,” Ridder said.

“But obviously with preparation, just like in any job it would be a lot easier go out there and practice before you go do something. But as a backup our job is to be prepared for any situation.”

Every time a backup steps into a starting role, they are asked if their preparation changes. And they inevitably say it doesn’t.

“As a backup you ‘ve got to prepare as if you’re the starter. You have to prepare as if — it could be any play, it could be the first play, it could be the second. So, for me my mindset doesn’t change. Come in the same way Monday through Sunday and work the same way I do.”

This all sounds good, but preparing like the starting QB when you aren’t the starting QB is simply not possible. They can do their best to to be ready to step in — mental reps and such — but the actual starter will be getting all the actual reps with the other starters as the team practices throughout the week. And from the sounds of it, this week Ridder will be getting that kind of work in.

Raiders ‘ramping up’ Aidan O’Connell opening door for potential return Week 13 vs Chiefs

With Gardner Minshew out for the season, the Raiders may have to expedite return of Aidan O’Connell from injured reserve week 13 vs Chiefs.

It’s a hell of a week to have uncertainty at the quarterback position for the Raiders. They will have four days to prepare to face the rival Chiefs at Arrowhead and as of now have their starting QB out for the season and their next best option uncertain if he’ll be healthy enough to go.

“We’ll see if Aidan [O’Connell] is good to go,” head coach Antonio Pierce said Monday. “He’s been ramping up.”

O’Connell has been on injured reserve the past four weeks rehabbing a broken thumb. He will return to practice, opening the window for his return to the active roster, but a lot remains to be seen if he will be ready.

“We’ll just have to see and I’ll have to rely on our doctors and medical staff,” Pierce said. But it’s more than that. Even if he’s cleared medically, he has to pass the eye test

“I know Aidan. I think we all know what it looks like when he’s feeling right and that hand is correct and able for him to perform at a level and help us win a game,” Pierce added.

“So, just seeing him able to grip the ball, comfortable, hopefully no pain there. And just being able to be efficient. Putting a player out there that’s hurting or injured still, that’s not in the benefit of the player or our team.”

Should Pierce or the other coaches feel like O’Connell is not ready, they would turn to Desmond Ridder, who Pierce admitted after the game Sunday night that he hasn’t seen nearly enough from to be confident that he can handle starting duties after just a month with the team.

It’s going to be a late day today for the Raiders as they have to try get a read on O’Connell’s level of readiness and make some kind of decision on who will be starting at quarterback when they head to Kansas City.

Desmond Ridder says he is ready to go if called upon to start for Raiders

Should Aidan O’Connell be unable to return, Desmond Ridder could be the Raiders starting QB week 13 vs the Chiefs. He says he’s ready.

Late in the Raiders’ week 12 game against the Broncos, Gardner Minshew went down hard and was taken to the locker room with an apparent shoulder injury. He was replaced at quarterback by Desmond Ridder.

With the revelation that Minshew is lost for the season with a broken collarbone, Ridder would seem to have a legitimate chance to be the starter when the Raiders face the Chiefs next Friday. An opportunity Ridder says he’s ready for.

“Yeah, I feel I’m ready to play,” said Ridder after the game Sunday. “I’ve been here almost a month now. I feel comfortable with the offense. I’m ready to go, so whatever the situation may be, it’s not up to me, it’s up to the higher power, but I’m ready for any situation may be.”

His head coach seems to feel a bit differently about Ridder’s readiness to be the team’s starter.

“It’s not enough reps,” Pierce said. “When Gardner was in there we gave him all the reps. He did some stuff in seven-on-sevens, but to sit there and say we’ve seen enough? No. We’ve seen film, he’s played in this league and obviously today was tough. Sitting on the bench the last 55 minutes and now you’re throwing him in the ball game, but he did the best he could.”

Ridder came into the game late in the fourth quarter and on his second play had a rusher come around the left edge to hit his arm as he threw, forcing a fumble the Broncos recovered in scoring range.

He then faced a soft Broncos defense and was able to drive down the field before ultimately getting sacked in goal to go from the one. He plans to be ready to step in as the starter if called upon just as he would at a moment’s notice during a game.

“You try to do as much as you can to stay warm, whether that’s in the first half coming in here getting a stretch or in half time, hopping on the bike around the third quarter and throwing in between every drop,” Ridder added. “So really it’s just being ready to go. And I’m always ready to go. I’ll make sure I’m never not ready to go in that situation.”

Former starter Aidan O’Connell is eligible to return from injured reserve this week and if he’s ready to go, he figures to be the most likely to reclaim his starting job. But if he’s not, then Ridder will have to get up to speed with his teammates in three days time to face the best team in the NFL in their house at Arrowhead.

Falcons may see familiar face at QB during prime-time game vs Raiders

Falcons may see familiar face at QB for the Raiders during Monday Night Football matchup in Week 15

The Atlanta Falcons may see a familiar face when they play against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15. Former Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder took over for an injured Gardner Minshew late in the fourth quarter of the Raiders’ 29-19 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Ridder completed five out of 10 pass attempts for 64 yards, losing a fumble and taking a sack in the red zone to end the game. While he got off to a slow start, Ridder led a nice drive on his second attempt and nearly threw a touchdown pass after evading a sack.

The catch was ruled short of the end zone and Ridder took a sack on the next play to end the game. According to a report from NFL Network, Minshew has a broken collarbone and will be out for the rest of the season.

The Falcons play the Raiders on Monday night football in Week 15, and Ridder is the only healthy quarterback on the roster for Las Vegas at the moment.

The former Falcons third-round pick was traded to Arizona over the offseason and later poached off the Cardinals’ practice squad by the Raiders when Aidan O’Connell broke his thumb.

Ridder appeared in 19 games (17 starts) during his two seasons in Atlanta, passing for 3,544 yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

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