Strangely accurate predictions about the Falcons and Ridder

[Banana Bandit]

Found a great article about Ridder predictions that was posted all the way back in May. It's feeling like most things in this article are going to pan out to be true.

 

3 early predictions for Desmond Ridder in rookie season with Falcons

[Killing Floor]

Yep. He may not give us the best chance to win. I don’t know. But Mariota gives us the best chance to lose. 

[Jesus]

Quote

The Falcons won’t be anywhere near playoff contention this season. In fact, it’s likely that they’ll be eliminated from the postseason by Week 16 or 17. 

That means they will be very close to playoff contention.

[FalconAge]

The author didn't exactly make any bold claims

[JDaveG]

1 minute ago, FalconAge said:

The author didn't exactly make any bold claims

Little Orphan Annie:

OP:

[Killing Floor]

2 minutes ago, FalconAge said:

The author didn't exactly make any bold claims

True. Pretty much hedged everything. 
 

My Life Story, “Every day is either Thanksgiving or it’s not.”

[Banana Bandit]

21 minutes ago, FalconAge said:

The author didn't exactly make any bold claims

Saying the Falcons have enough talent for 5 or 6 wins at this point in time was a very bold claim. Most publications had us sitting around 2-3 wins and with a top 5 pick.

Edited November 30, 2022 by Banana Bandit

[dirtybirds233]

2 of those aren't accurate at all. 

Ridder barely loses the starting QB battle: All reports out of camp were that the QB competition wasn't even close. 

Ridder starts at least three games: Not gonna happen. He doesn't start until the Falcons are eliminated which isn't happening in the next two games.

Ridder will put himself in contention for the 2023 starting job: This was in true even if by default. I'd bet a silver nickel that Mariota isn't a Falcon next year (at least on his current contract). 

[Banana Bandit]

Just now, dirtybirds233 said:

2 of those aren't accurate at all. 

Ridder barely loses the starting QB battle: All reports out of camp were that the QB competition wasn't even close. 

Ridder starts at least three games: Not gonna happen. He doesn't start until the Falcons are eliminated which isn't happening in the next two games.

Ridder will put himself in contention for the 2023 starting job: This was in true even if by default. I'd bet a silver nickel that Mariota isn't a Falcon next year (at least on his current contract). 

Tell me you only read the headlines without telling me you only read the headlines.

[FalconAge]

4 minutes ago, Banana Bandit said:

Tell me you only read the headlines without telling me you only read the headlines.

Getting a little testy there, eh fella?

[poutlipper]

31 minutes ago, FalconAge said:

The author didn't exactly make any bold claims

What do you message board warriors expect from this distinguished author?  The Falcons will or won't be in the playoffs, and Mariota may or may not be the QB of the team if they are or are not in the conversation.  But one thing is for sure is that Ridder may or may not get to play this year, and he might or might not be the answer for the Falcons or another team in the NFL, or another league that plays football, or a sport.  

[ItsJustMe]

No wonder print journalism is dead.

[gazoo]

10 hours ago, dirtybirds233 said:

All reports out of camp were that the QB competition wasn't even close.

Nonsense, Ridder mopped the floor up with Mariota in preseason and Mariota had the first team offensive line blocking for him, Kyle Pitts and first team receivers. 

Ridder had journeymen practice squad scrubs blocking for him, and receivers dropping easy catches that are bagging groceries at Publix the throw to.  
 

And when Ridder faced the first team defense for a full quarter it didn’t matter, he kept zipping the ball out to 3rd rate receivers picking up several 3rd and longs after OL kept getting penalties and dropped passes setting them back.  Ridder won one of the games on last play by  making a play only the greats make.  Far cry from throwing a football up in the air laying on his back.

This suggestion “wasn’t even close”, isn’t even close.

 

 

[insight]

7 hours ago, gazoo said:

Nonsense, Ridder mopped the floor up with Mariota in preseason and Mariota had the first team offensive line blocking for him, Kyle Pitts and first team receivers. 

Ridder had journeymen practice squad scrubs blocking for him, and receivers dropping easy catches that are bagging groceries at Publix the throw to.  
 

And when Ridder faced the first team defense for a full quarter it didn’t matter, he kept zipping the ball out to 3rd rate receivers picking up several 3rd and longs after OL kept getting penalties and dropped passes setting them back.  Ridder won one of the games on last play by  making a play only the greats make.  Far cry from throwing a football up in the air laying on his back.

This suggestion “wasn’t even close”, isn’t even close.

 

 

Motivated Perception. Ridder was soundly beaten by Mariota but your desire to see Ridder as the future QB has clouded your perception.  The coaches know who deserves to start on Sunday.  Drake London barely played in the preseason, if you soely look at pre-season performance you would assume Bernhardt was the #1 option.  

Ridder is learning the NFL game and improving his mechanics.  He is a project that is why he was drafted in the 3rd round. 

[INDFalcon]

19 hours ago, Killing Floor said:

True. Pretty much hedged everything. 
 

My Life Story, “Every day is either Thanksgiving or it’s not.”

You are "killing" me Mr. Floor. I will apply this motto to my life as well.

[JDaveG]

3 hours ago, insight said:

Motivated Perception. Ridder was soundly beaten by Mariota but your desire to see Ridder as the future QB has clouded your perception.  The coaches know who deserves to start on Sunday.  Drake London barely played in the preseason, if you soely look at pre-season performance you would assume Bernhardt was the #1 option.  

Ridder is learning the NFL game and improving his mechanics.  He is a project that is why he was drafted in the 3rd round. 

"Soundly beaten" in either direction is an overstatement.  Neither of them "soundly" beat the other.  In my estimation it was very close, and I think the coaching staff thought so too.

The issue with Ridder -- and this was publicized enough that it ought to be common knowledge -- is he was having some trouble getting the team lined up and just basically running the offense.  You can't have that in Arthur Smith's system because he relies so much on motions and shifts and alignments.  This is from a news article after the Jets preseason game:

Quote

And then after making it fourth-and-goal from the 1, the snap count appeared off between Ridder, the offensive line, and the center, leading to a false start.

Head coach Arthur Smith was shown on the ESPN telecast providing some hard coaching to Ridder as he reached the sideline with the Falcons settling for a field goal.

“I’ll keep [what I said] behind closed doors, but there’s an expectation,” Smith said postgame, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Don’t shoot yourself in the foot down there. It’s pretty good way to put it.”

Then there were another four accepted penalties on Ridder’s two-minute drive later in the quarter.

“[Penalties] are critical,” Smith said. “A lot of lessons learned and I got high expectations for Desmond. So, we’re gonna be hard on Desmond because he’s a good player and he can take that kind of coaching. He understands we’re not waiting on him as a rookie. Like, we’re trying to speed him up. So, he made some good throws. There’s some things he’s got to clean up, especially in the operation.”

Ridder noted he has “a couple of things to clean up myself, play calls, getting the operations run.” He added that he feels like he’ll learn from the experience, particularly rallying from each setback.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/08/23/arthur-smith-were-going-to-be-hard-on-desmond-ridder-because-he-can-take-the-coaching/

This stuff isn't mysterious.  They're trying to bring Ridder along not in terms of throwing and handing the ball off or getting the playcall right, but in terms of how he executes a very complicated offense.  Once he learns it, it will make everything easier, but until he does, there are a lot of moving parts.  That's why he isn't starting now, and I'd wager it's the only reason.

[FentayeJones]

1 hour ago, JDaveG said:

"Soundly beaten" in either direction is an overstatement.  Neither of them "soundly" beat the other.  In my estimation it was very close, and I think the coaching staff thought so too.

The issue with Ridder -- and this was publicized enough that it ought to be common knowledge -- is he was having some trouble getting the team lined up and just basically running the offense.  You can't have that in Arthur Smith's system because he relies so much on motions and shifts and alignments.  This is from a news article after the Jets preseason game:

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/08/23/arthur-smith-were-going-to-be-hard-on-desmond-ridder-because-he-can-take-the-coaching/

This stuff isn't mysterious.  They're trying to bring Ridder along not in terms of throwing and handing the ball off or getting the playcall right, but in terms of how he executes a very complicated offense.  Once he learns it, it will make everything easier, but until he does, there are a lot of moving parts.  That's why he isn't starting now, and I'd wager it's the only reason.

Yeah, thru two years the constant AS has always talked about with his QBs is "operation" of the offense. Talked about it with Matt, Franks, McCarran and Rosen last year and Mariota and Ridder this year. With centers he always talked about "command" of the line. If you listen, he will tell you what's important. 

[Sun Tzu 7]

On 11/30/2022 at 9:24 AM, Killing Floor said:

Yep. He may not give us the best chance to win. I don’t know. But Mariota gives us the best chance to lose. 

The tank is real.

AS is secretly trying to get higher draft picks and Mariota gives them a "unique opportunity" to do just that.

He more or less said that in a press conference.... the "unique opportunity."

[dodge_birds_fan]

On 11/30/2022 at 12:54 PM, dirtybirds233 said:

2 of those aren't accurate at all. 

Ridder barely loses the starting QB battle: All reports out of camp were that the QB competition wasn't even close. 

Ridder starts at least three games: Not gonna happen. He doesn't start until the Falcons are eliminated which isn't happening in the next two games.

Ridder will put himself in contention for the 2023 starting job: This was in true even if by default. I'd bet a silver nickel that Mariota isn't a Falcon next year (at least on his current contract). 

Maybe Mariota won the starting job because he played lights out.......vs our defense

[Herr Doktor]

Mariota won out, not because he has a higher ceiling, but because his floor was a lot higher at this time.  Bridge has been in the NFL for 7 or 8 seasons now.  He understands ART's offense, in at least setting things up.  He has serious issues with his overall game which makes him a liability there.  However, he has enough experience to set up the culture, and provide a buffer in time and experience for DES.

[Lethal]

How is this "strangely accurate" lmao

1 is wrong

2 is yet to be seen

3 is also yet to be seen

Not sure what is worse, this article or OP buying into it...

[Killing Floor]

54 minutes ago, dodge_birds_fan said:

Maybe Mariota won the starting job because he played lights out.......vs our defense

I could see that. 

[NorthGaBoy]

On 11/30/2022 at 12:27 PM, Jesus said:

That means they will be very close to playoff contention.

That is what I was thinking.  I thought I was losing my basic math skills.  We probably need 7 or 8 wins to be there.

[NorthGaBoy]

On 11/30/2022 at 1:02 PM, poutlipper said:

What do you message board warriors expect from this distinguished author?  The Falcons will or won't be in the playoffs, and Mariota may or may not be the QB of the team if they are or are not in the conversation.  But one thing is for sure is that Ridder may or may not get to play this year, and he might or might not be the answer for the Falcons or another team in the NFL, or another league that plays football, or a sport.  

Can you provide a link to your source?  Some of this sounds far fetched.  😄

[NorthGaBoy]

1 hour ago, Sun Tzu 7 said:

The tank is real.

AS is secretly trying to get higher draft picks and Mariota gives them a "unique opportunity" to do just that.

He more or less said that in a press conference.... the "unique opportunity."

Uhhh, yeah.  I called one of my college professors and asked if "unique opportunity" always means intentionally failing in an effort to set up the future.  He said "Yes, always.  Is this about the Atlanta Falcons and Marcus Mariota?"  I said, "Naaaaaawwwwww, why would you think that?".