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Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke left the game due to a leg injury. Desmond Ridder has taken over in the fourth quarter
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke has exited Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals due to a leg injury he sustained during a fourth-quarter scramble.
Second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder has replaced Heinicke with 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Falcons trail the Cardinals, 22-17.
Q4: Desmond Ridder is back in as the Falcons quarterback.
— Terrin Waack (@TerrinWaack) November 12, 2023
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Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know
The trade deadline came and went without any real fireworks other than Joshua Dobbs switching to the Vikings for almost no cost. Dobbs gets a nice upgrade to his receivers, especially when Justin Jefferson makes it back. We saw a painful week for quarterbacks, and as of this week, eight teams will have started a different quarterback for at least one game. We haven’t seen any of the top quarterbacks miss games, though Kirk Cousins’ season is now over.
Injuries seem to be coming in waves. Two weeks ago was a very light week. But it all draws the same conclusion – you need depth. You can never let your roster just ride and not worry about upgrading it at every chance you get. True – there won’t likely be any Top-10 players waiting for you to rescue them from the waiver wire. But some players develop through the season and grow in value. And you likely have players that are not exactly who you hoped they would be.
It’s also important to consider carrying two defenses and two kickers to give you options. And upgrading those positions as well. Here’s a look at six things to follow heading into Sunday for Week 9.
The above considered players with at least ten catches. Marvin Mims is starting well but the Broncos didn’t trade away any starters. Rashid Shaheen has been a factor in a few games but lacks consistency. It is a plus to see Nico Collins already connecting with C.J. Stroud. The rookie Michael Wilson is also notable since he’ll be paired with Kyle Murray soon.
Titans 16, Steelers 20
The Will Levis Experience apparently does not include four touchdowns every week, and while he did not throw any, he was still admittedly impressive with his 262 yards and one interception that ended the game. DeAndre Hopkins (4-60) still had several nice catches and Kyle Phillip (4-68) turned in a season-best but no one else had more than 30 yards. Levis cooled off without those touchdown bombs to Hopkins, but he still looked more poised and capable than someone in their second career start.
Derrick Henry ran for 75 yards on 17 rushes with one touchdown, and even added three catches for 27 yards. Tyjae Spears handled five carries for just 18 yards and caught four passes for just four yards. The Titans were in the game until the final seconds and Levis took over with 1:44 left to play at their own 15-yard line and drove the team to the PIT 24-yard line with 11 seconds left to play when he threw an interception instead of a game-winning touchdown.
Kenny Pickett only passed for 160 yards and one score, with Diontae Johnson (7-90, TD) as the only receiver with more than 25 yards. George Pickens almost caught a touchdown but settled for only two catches for a net one-yard loss. Jaylen Warren (11-88) and Najee Harris (16-69, TD) split up the backfield workload. This was a low-scoring game with minimal fireworks, but it was a Thursday game.
The Falcons feel destined to find Desmond Ridder’s long-term replacement next spring.
On Wednesday, the Atlanta Falcons indicated that they would temporarily roll with quarterback Taylor Heinicke over quarterback Desmond Ridder for the team’s home game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Head coach Arthur Smith indicated that the move didn’t signal any long-term ambitions as much as “lot of variables” that went into the decision.
Whether Heinicke lights up the Vikings secondary this weekend or turns into a pumpkin after his promising second-half start against the Tennessee Titans this past Sunday, the Falcons are starting to signal that a major quarterback change will eventually come for this franchise.
By even benching Ridder for a week in a seemingly must-win game to boost Atlanta’s playoff hopes, the Falcons are positioning themselves to find the true heir apparent to quarterback Matt Ryan next spring.
In 2023, Ridder’s up-and-down play featured plenty of gains in the passing game but far too many turnovers. If you wanted to find a growing quarterback in his film that was worth investing in this season, you could. If you wanted to find a turnover-plagued third-round pick, you could.
Heinicke may just be another bridge quarterback for the Falcons, but the team putting him in the game for Sunday says that they trust him more right now to go out there and win. The team would be 5-4 and very alive for an NFC South title push with a victory, and the team is not putting that in Ridder’s hands for the moment.
After starting 2-0, the Falcons have gone 2-4 in the past six games. Three wins this season have came on last-minute field goals from clutch kicker Younghoe Koo. Without Koo’s reliable leg, the team might be at 1-7 on the season. However, Ridder’s costly turnovers against the Washington Commanders and a failed last-minute comeback against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday have cost the Falcons a chance at being 6-2. It’s a stark contrast.
The margin for error has been so thin this season for Atlanta, separating a major NFC playoff contender from a top-five drafting team and leaving them with a 4-4 question mark instead. Smith’s Falcons have gotten into a habit of playing in a lot of close games, and they’d have to hope they’d eventually get to the point of separating some of the margins in those contests.
By benching Ridder for this week, they’re betting on Heinicke to make this Falcons team the best immediate version of itself on offense. With the team’s notable defensive gains, that could be enough to win the division or at least push for a Wild Card spot. If it doesn’t work out and the team has another losing season, Smith and his coaching staff could be on the hot seat.
More likely, a regime plagued without many good options at the quarterback position post-Ryan will be tasked with finding a long-term option in the 2024 NFL Draft or via a trade for a veteran quarterback like Arizona Cardinals Kyler Murray or Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
The Falcons have had some rotten luck with the succession plan, hampered by an extremely ill-advised pursuit of quarterback Deshaun Watson in 2022. If not for that failed trade attempt, Ryan admitted later that spring that he might’ve still been in a Falcons uniform for the 2022 season.
Atlanta understandably stood clear of the 2021 and 2022 NFL Draft quarterback options in the first round that were available to them (names like Fields, Mac Jones, Kenny Pickett. The only player they might’ve taken a chance on at pick eight in this past NFL Draft was Will Levis, who just got his first win against the Falcons but is still a relative unknown for his long-term viability.
There really haven’t been a lot of good free agent quarterback options since Ryan was traded away during the 2022 offseason, and it never made sense to go after someone like Russell Wilson. The Watson trade already looks like an absolute disaster for Cleveland, one Atlanta somehow avoided after nearly making that awful trade themselves.
Even the Lamar Jackson scenario looks less and less realistic for Atlanta (or any NFL team) in the rearview when you consider how likely it was that the Baltimore Ravens would’ve smartly matched any contract a team would’ve negotiated with Jackson in a possible trade.
Sans that terrible Watson snafu, it makes sense for why the Falcons have sat on their hands with making a long-term decision at quarterback when you consider the options available. However, the roster is as competitive as it’s been in years for Atlanta, and the team cannot afford to wait any longer.
Unless Heinicke turns into the next Ryan Tannehill or Ridder gets another shot and plays very well, it feels like a virtual guarantee that the Falcons will be one of the teams searching for their next quarterback in 2024.
It feels likely that Smith will be the coach to help make that decision next year, but he and general manager Terry Fontenot will have to get it right. It doesn’t matter where they draft or the options that are available; they’ll have to make something work.
Until the Falcons really find the quarterback of tomorrow, not even a division title and playoff berth can keep you from wondering if nailing that huge decision is what this regime’s future will ultimately come down to.
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The #Falcons have named Taylor Heinicke their starting QB for Sunday’s game against the Vikings
After days of evaluation, the Atlanta Falcons have finally named their starting quarterback for Week 9. Veteran Taylor Heinicke will get the start against the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Arthur Smith told reporters on Wednesday.
Falcons HC Arthur Smith said for this week, Taylor Heinicke will be the starting quarterback.
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) November 1, 2023
Heinicke replaced Desmond Ridder in the second half of last week’s loss to the Titans and provided a spark to Atlanta’s offense. He passed for 175 yards and a touchdown while nearly leading the team to a comeback victory over Tennessee.
Ridder was pulled from the game not long after committing his league-leading 12th turnover. Many assumed the second-year QB had been benched, however, Smith said he was just being cautious with Ridder after a potential head injury.
Heinicke, 30, has started 24 games over the last two seasons for the Washington Commanders. During his three years in Washington, Heinicke racked up 5,415 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and 21 interceptions, with a passer rating of 87.5.
We’ll see if he can continue to provide a spark to this Falcons offense against the Vikings on Sunday. If Heinicke plays well, it could be tough to go back to Ridder.
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Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
| SUNDAY SALUTES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quarterbacks | Pass-Rush | TD |
| Sam Howell | 397-11 | 4 |
| Josh Allen | 324-41 | 3 |
| Dak Prescott | 304-19 | 4 |
| Jalen Hurts | 319-6 | 3 |
| Joe Burrow | 283-43 | 3 |
| Running Backs | Yards | TD |
| Christian McCaffrey | 12-54 6-64 |
2 |
| Gus Edwards | 19-80 2-14 |
3 |
| Alvin Kamara | 17-59 4-51 |
2 |
| Travis Etienne | 24-79 3-70 |
1 |
| Austin Ekeler | 15-29 7-94 |
1 |
| Wide Receivers | Yards | TD |
| CeeDee Lamb | 12-158 | 2 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | 4-128 | 3 |
| A.J. Brown | 8-130 | 2 |
| Tyreek Hill | 8-112 | 1 |
| Ja’Marr Chase | 10-100 | 1 |
| Tight Ends | Yards | TD |
| Trey McBride | 10-95 | 1 |
| George Kittle | 9-149 | 0 |
| Taysom Hill | 9-63 1-14 |
2 |
| T.J. Hockenson | 6-88 | 1 |
| Evan Engram | 10-88 | 0 |
| Placekickers | XP | FG |
| Brandon McManus | 0 | 4 |
| Brandon Aubrey | 5 | 2 |
| Younghoe Koo | 2 | 3 |
| Cameron Dicker | 3 | 3 |
| Jake Elliott | 5 | 1 |
| Defense | Sack – TO | TD |
| Broncos | 3-5 | 0 |
| Cowboys | 2-1 | 1 |
| Jaguars | 3-2 | 0 |
| Vikings | 4-1 | 0 |
| Steelers | 3-3 | 0 |
QB Matt Stafford -Thumb
QB Kirk Cousins – Achilles
QB Tyrod Taylor – Ribs
QB Kenny Pickett – Ribs
QB Desmond Ridder – Benched
QB Patrick Mahomes – Flu
RB Damien Williams – Foot
RB Travis Etienne – Ankle
WR DeVante Parker – Head
WR Kendrick Bourne – Knee
WR Drake London – Groin
WR Curtis Samuel – Toe
TE Darren Waller – Hamstring
Chasing Ambulances
QB Matt Stafford – He was already playing through a hip injury and left the Cowboys matchup when his thumb hit a helmet. He remained sidelined with a taped thumb after they examined it in the locker room but the Rams would not make a statement about it and Stafford did not talk to the press. Brett Rypien is the only other quarterback currently on their roster. Stetson Bennett is on the reserve/non-football illness list but the Rams have not disclosed exactly why. If Stafford misses any time, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua will likely suffer a decline.
QB Kirk Cousins – He suffered what is feared to be a season-ending Achilles injury. For a team already missing Justin Jefferson, this is catastrophic. The only healthy quarterback on the team is the rookie Jaren Hall. Sean Mannion is on the practice squad and Nick Mullens is on injured reserve. At 3-4, do they give up and make do with what they have or do they try to acquire or trade for someone? The worst part is that Cousins likely takes the Minnesota passing game with him, impacting Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Jefferson when he returns.
QB Tyrod Taylor – The Giants quarterback suffered a rib injury and was brought to a local hospital. He was already replacing Daniel Jones who is out with a neck injury. The Giants are down to Tommy DeVito who entered the game and completed 2-of-7 passes for a net loss of one yard. The expectation is that the Giants will bring in free-agent quarterbacks though the shelves are rather bare. The Giants cannot afford to have yet another step downward in their passing offense.
QB Kenny Pickett – The Steelers quarterback left with a rib injury and the immediate concern is how quickly he will heal since the Steelers host the Titans on Thursday. Mitchell Trubisky will take the start if Pickett cannot play. More should be known on Monday.
QB Desmond Ridder – Was evaluated for a concussion and did not return to the loss to the Titans. HC Arthur Smith said that Ridder was held out for health reasons and not as a benching. Taylor Heinicke took over and completed 12-of-21 for 175 yards and a touchdown. Barring new information, Ridder remains the starter and will play if healthy. Practices will indicate if Ridder or Heinicke are most likely to start against the Vikings this week.
RB Travis Etienne – He left with an ankle injury but later returned and scored a 56-yard touchdown on a catch. He is fine.
WR Kendrick Bourne – The Patriots’ No. 1 receiver was injured in the fourth quarter, holding his right knee in obvious pain. He was able to walk to the medical tent and was ruled out of the game. He is due to have an MRI on Monday and the hope is that it is just a sprained MCL. DeVante Parker was hit helmet-to-helmet as well and is expected to be diagnosed with a concussion. That would be serious since he missed games due to a concussion in 2022. JuJu Smith-Schuster has been a disappointment since joining the Pats and had his own health issues. But he received more playing time after Bourne left and caught a three-yard touchdown on his only reception.
WR Drake London – The Falcons star wideout left the game and was looked at by the trainers. After visiting the medical tent, he was ruled out with a groin injury. London claimed that he was fine after the game, but he’ll be evaluated Monday and his status will be clearer later in the week. If he is out for the Vikings matchup this week, Kyle Pitts, Jonnu Smith, Mack Hollins, and Van Jefferson would have to take up the slack but London is the difference-maker out of all receivers.
TE Darren Waller – Suffered a hamstring strain and left the game. His status will be updated later this week, but the Giants’ problems at quarterback are an equally troublesome development for Waller’s fantasy value.
New starting quarterbacks – The worst injury situation appears to be Kirk Cousins and the situation they are in if he cannot play as expected. The Vikings are likely to bring in veteran quarterbacks who will carry some fantasy value, but watch what moves they make in the early week. The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, so we’ll know quickly if they acquire any notable replacement.
QB Will Levis (TEN) – The 2.02 pick by the Titans in the NFL draft was the fourth quarterback selected. Levis took his first NFL start and threw for 238 yards and four touchdowns – three on deep passes to DeAndre Hopkins. Ryan Tannehill only totaled two touchdowns after six games. Levis has to be the ongoing starter. He became the third quarterback in NFL history to throw for four touchdowns in their first start.
RB Emari Demercado (ARI) – The Cardinals have turned to Demercado as the full-time back with 20 carries for 78 yards versus the Ravens on Sunday. He also caught one pass for one year. James Conner remains out for at least two more weeks and it could be longer since the Cardinals have not been very forthcoming about Conner’s prognosis.
TE Trey McBride (ARI) – The Cardinals placed Zach Ertz onto injured reserve and that left second-year McBride as the primary tight end. He responded well, leading all fantasy tight ends with ten catches for 95 yards and a score against the Ravens. McBride was drafted last year in the second round and this was the sort of development they were hoping to see.
TE Taysom Hill (NO) – The Swiss Army knife of the Saints already scored last week on five rushes for 18 yards and gained 50 yards as a receiver. Against the Colts, Hill ran for 63 yards and two touchdowns on nine rushes and caught a 14-yard pass. He’s always been inconsistent, but that’s two straight fantasy-relevant performances. He has been shifted to being a quarterback on some depth charts but remains a tight end on many.
RB Miles Sanders (CAR) – He missed Week 6 with a shoulder injury but had a bye to help him heal. He was removed from the injury report and was expected to resume his role as the starter, along with Chuba Hubbard. But Sanders only carried twice for no yards, and Hubbard ran 15 times for 28 yards. Sanders is far too risky to merit a fantasy start until he can prove to be healthy and a part of the game plan.
WR Demario Douglas (NE) – The Patriots rookie hasn’t scored and topped out in Week 7 with four catches for 54 yards. Against the Dolphins, he ended with five receptions for 25 yards but it was notable because his seven targets were three more than any other Patriot receiver. And Kendrick Bourne and DeVante Parker both were injured last week.
RB Gus Edwards (BAL) – He’s been consistent with around 50 yards in most games and scored only in Week 2. But these last two games, Edwards has his best performances of the year. In Week 7, he ran in a score, rushed for 64 yards and caught an 80-yard pass. For Week 8, he produced a career-best three touchdowns on his 19 rushes for 80 yards and caught two passes for 14 yards. Jackson dialed back his role as a rusher for these last two weeks and Edwards has feasted.
WR Tyreek Hill (MIA) – He currently has 1,014 receiving yards and is the first player to do that in their first eight games in the last 62 years of NFL history. He is on pace to gain 2,154 yards on the season.
Germany Alert! – The NFL returns to Europe this week with their first-ever game in Germany. The notable part is that they are showcasing the NFL by playing the Dolphins and Chiefs. That means there are a lot of fantasy team owners who need to get up well before 9:30 AM EST (6:30 AM EST) and check their lineups or risk missing an inactive.
CeeDee Lamb (DAL) – The Cowboys No. 1 receiver already gained 117 yards last week, and he upped that mark against the Rams when he caught 12 passes for a career-best 158 yards and two touchdowns. After a three-week lull in production, Lamb is turning in big stats for multiple weeks and just led the NFL in fantasy points.
Salute!
| Comedy | Yards | TDs | Tragedy | Yards | TDs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Sam Howell | 397-11 | 4 | QB | Patrick Mahomes | 241-20 | 0 |
| RB | Javonte Williams | 27-85 3-13 |
1 | RB | Isiah Pacheco | 8-40 3-(-3) |
0 |
| RB | Rachaad White | 9-39 7-70 |
0 | RB | Kenneth Walker | 8-66 1-4 |
0 |
| WR | DeAndre Hopkins | 4-128 | 3 | WR | Cooper Kupp | 4-21 | 0 |
| WR | Jahan Dotson | 8-108 | 1 | WR | Zay Flowers | 5-19 | 0 |
| WR | Rashid Shaheen | 3-153 | 1 | WR | Puka Nacua | 3-43 | 0 |
| TE | Trey McBride | 10-95 | 1 | TE | Dallas Goedert | 4-36 | 0 |
| PK | Brandon McManus | 0 XP 4 FG | PK | Ka’imi Fairbairn | 1 XP | ||
| Huddle Fantasy Points = 206 | Huddle Fantasy Points = 52 | ||||||
Now get back to work…
Check out these starts and sits for fantasy football in Week 8.
After an entertaining Thursday night contest, it’s time to prepare for a weekend full of tough decisions as fantasy football managers stare down their lineups awaiting the slate of games in Week 8.
Fortunately, there are no teams on a bye in Week 8, which makes start/sit decisions a bit easier. Still, there are plenty of injuries and trends taking place to factor into the decision-making process.
Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.
Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.
Feel free to ask any specific start/sit questions via X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11) or check out our start/bench list for Week 8:
More bad officiating! The Saints, Raiders, and Commanders are disasters! What happened to Detroit’s defense? It’s time for the NFL’s Worst of the Week.
Football is a wonderful, thrilling, inspiring game that can lift us to new heights in our lives.
But football is also a weird, inexplicable, at times downright stupid game that may force you to perform Keith Moon-level furniture destruction in your own living room.
So, as much as we at Touchdown Wire endeavor to write about what makes the game great, there are also times when it’s important to point out the dumb plays, boneheaded decisions, and officiating errors that make football all too human.
Folks, it’s time for the Worst of the Week for Week 7 of the 2023 NFL season.
#Falcons fans on Twitter react to Atlanta’s wild Week 7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Thanks to an incredible defensive effort and the clutch kicking of Younghoe Koo, the Atlanta Falcons avoided a potentially disastrous loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7.
Quarterback Desmond Ridder fumbled away three red-zone chances, but the Falcons didn’t crumble. The team stepped up when it mattered most, pulling out a 16-13 victory to move to 4-3 on the season.
As a result of Sunday’s win, Atlanta has moved into first place in the NFC South. Falcons fans on Twitter were all over the map after the game.
“I know this about Desmond Ridder: He’s tough, and he’s a winner,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said after Sunday’s win
The Atlanta Falcons knew there would be some growing pains when they named second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder as their starter going into the 2023 season. Thus far, Ridder has been a mixed bag.
On one hand, he has led the team to the top spot in the NFC South at 4-3. On the other hand, Ridder has turned the ball over six times in the last two weeks. The former third-round pick lost three fumbles during Sunday’s 16-13 win over the Buccaneers.
To Ridder’s credit, he responded with a late drive to set up Younghoe Koo’s game-winning field goal. After the game, head coach Arthur Smith defended Ridder.
“It’s his 11th start, just got a good win, so let’s give him some credit, give him this team some credit,” Smith said about Ridder. “We found a way to win. I know this about Desmond Ridder: He’s tough, and he’s a winner.”
#Falcons coach Arthur Smith, on his QB Desmond Ridder: “It's his 11th start, just got a good win, so let's give him some credit, give this team some credit. We found a way to win. I know this about Desmond Ridder: He's tough, and he's a winner."
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 22, 2023
You can understand why Smith is going to bat for his quarterback when the team is winning games, however, it’s pretty clear the Falcons won in spite of Ridder’s blunders in Week 7.
Overall, the Falcons are in good shape as we near the midway point in the season, but the defense isn’t always going to be able to bail them out. Ridder finished Sunday’s game with 250 passing yards, 38 rushing yards, one touchdown and three fumbles.
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Missed opportunities and continued red zone woes see the Bucs lag behind in the race for the division.
In a battle for the lead in the NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons topped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16-13. The game came down to a 51-yard field goal by Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo as time expired. Despite winning the turnover battle, the Bucs were arguably the sloppier team and were not able to capitalize on Atlanta’s own mistakes.
The game truly came down to the wire. After getting the ball back with just over two minutes left and down 10-13, the Bucs drove down the field thanks to a big 31-yard scramble from Baker Mayfield. However, they were not able to get into the endzone and settled for the field goal to tie the game.
The Falcons got the ball back with 45 seconds left and two timeouts. A 39-yard reception by tight end Kyle Pitts put Atlanta in field goal position, all but ending the game.
The Bucs and Falcons spent the first half exchanging scores. Atlanta drew first blood with a two-yard Desmond Ridder touchdown run, but the Bucs answered right back with a 40-yard touchdown bomb from Baker Mayfield to Mike Evans:
Sunday afternoons are always better with a @MikeEvans13_ TD 🙌
📺: #ATLvsTB on FOX pic.twitter.com/QnUcow04hB
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 22, 2023
The Falcons moved down the field with relative ease throughout the game, but like many Bucs opponents this season, they struggled to get into the end zone. Ridder in particular cost his team in the end zone, fumbling three times in the red zone. The first came following a sack by Shaq Barrett and Calijah Kancey at the end of the first half, and the second was a goal-line botched snap recovered by YaYa Diaby.
Ridder’s last fumble was a crucial touchdown-saving play made by Antoine Winfield Jr., who punched the ball out just before Ridder was able to cross the plane into the endzone:
HUGE. @AntoineWJr11 knocks the ball loose to make it a touchback. Bucs take over.
📺: #ATLvsTB on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/iTs8HMaXlh pic.twitter.com/6Fe2gRjy5B— NFL (@NFL) October 22, 2023
The Bucs were not much cleaner, losing the ball on a Deven Thompkins fumble during Tampa’s first drive of the second half and a Baker Mayfield interception in their penultimate drive of the game. Tampa Bay’s offense was largely stymied by self-inflicted wounds, committing nine penalties for 66 yards.
In a troubling theme this season, the Bucs were still unable to move the ball on the ground. Outside of Mayfield’s 31-yard scramble, Tampa Bay gained just 42 yards on 19 attempts for a 2.2-yard per-carry average.
Mayfield was better passing the ball than last week, completing 64.3% of his passes and throwing for 275 yards, a touchdown and a pick. However, he struggled to push the ball down the field, averaging just 6.6 yards per attempt. Despite his three fumbles, Ridder was arguably the better passer, completing 76% of his passes for 250 yards and averaging 10 yards per attempt.
With the Falcons now at 4-3, they take the lead in the NFC South. The Bucs fall to 3-3 and appear to have a ceiling on their ability to compete this year, still unable to win against any team with a non-losing record.
