NEW ORLEANS — Here’s what Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder had to say after the 21-18 loss to the Saints on Sunday:
On the game: “Going into this week, it was about communication and being able to get in and out of the huddle. Working efficiently with that and handling the environment, which I thought we did a really good job as an offense, getting on the ball. Not letting that play clock run down on us. Getting that upfront communicated. From that aspect, I felt that we did a pretty good job of it.”
On the passing attack: “From my standpoint, obviously it was not where we want it to be. On those deep balls, we have to give those guys a chance to go make a play. I was trying to be too perfect on those. I tried to put it out in front of them to make a perfect ball when in reality all you have to do is give them a chance.”
On if he was nervous making his first NFL regular-season start: “You are going to have nerves, anxiety or whatever maybe getting out there first start, crazy environment. Like I said earlier in the week, this is what all of (us) dream (about): to come into the NFL and start our first game. Obviously, there is a lot of emotion going on through that. Just being able to settle in and get going.”
On New Orleans’ defense: “They did a good job in the back end. Like I said, our O-line did a phenomenal job of the run block and the pass block. I think all that it comes down to is winning one-on-one on the outside, which our guys did a lot of the time. Whether the ball placement wasn’t there or my fundamentals were off a little bit. Like I said, I have just got to give the guys to make a chance (at a play).”
On when he settled down in the game: “Just after that first drive. The first drive, like I said, you’ve got emotions, you’ve got everything going. You just want to get out there and be perfect, go down there (on the) first drive 75 yards and score a touchdown. Obviously, that’s not how it went. When we came off the sideline, I was like ‘OK, deep breath. Let’s go back out there to work.’”
On the last time he felt like this for a game: “I have not really processed the feelings of it yet. The emotions are down because we didn’t get a win. We didn’t play as well as we wanted to from a self-scouting standpoint. I think what this team has shown over this year is that we are fighters, and that is something to look forward to in the next three games and into next season. No matter if we are up or down by a whole bunch, this team is going to fight to the end, which is something that you can’t take for granted.”
On what he told Drake London after his turnover: “I saw him lying on the ground for a split-second too long. I sprinted over there to run and pick him up. You know, at the end of the day, he’s going to look at that (turnover) and think that he would’ve caught that and we would have kept going and we would have scored, or whatever it may have been … and he thinks that one play is what may have broken the game, which is absolutely not true at all. Drake made a lot of great plays in that game. That one didn’t go the way that we wanted to. I just told him that it doesn’t matter, we are just going to go back to work. Don’t hang your head on that. That’s not who he is. You know he’s excited to get back to work and come in tomorrow.”
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Atlanta Falcons 2022 schedule
Sept. 11: Saints 27, Falcons 26
Sept. 18: Rams 31, Falcons 27
Sept. 25 Falcons 27, Seahawks 23
Oct. 2 Falcons 23, Browns 20
Oct. 9 Buccaneers 21, Falcons 15
Oct. 16 Falcons 28, 49ers 14
Oct. 23 Bengals 35, Falcons 17
Oct. 30 Falcons 37, Panthers 34 OT
Nov. 6 Chargers 20, Falcons 17
Nov. 10 Panthers 25, Falcons 15
Nov. 20 Falcons 27, Bears 24
Nov. 27 Commanders 19, Falcons 13
Dec. 4 Steelers 19, Falcons 16
BYE WEEK
Dec. 18 Saints 21, Falcons 18
Dec. 24 at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Jan. 1 vs. Arizona, 1 p.m.
Jan. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, TBD
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