FLOWERY BRANCH – The last time the Falcons had a starting rookie quarterback, he tossed a touchdown on his first NFL pass.
That was Matt Ryan, a first-round pick in 2008.
Fast forward to 2022, and rookie Desmond Ridder, who was selected in the third round of the draft, backed up Marcus Mariota for 13 games.
Over the bye week, the Falcons (5-8) decided to give the ball to Ridder. Just one game out of first place in the NFC South, the Falcons are set to face the Saints (4-9) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
“For us moving forward, when you are starting Desmond, it’s about making sure there is a comfort level in what we ask him to do,” Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone said. “Then (it’s) how we’ve been preparing him when he was the backup.”
Ridder had a dual mandate, which included to get himself ready mentally and physically if he had to play and then he also had to help Marcus Mariota get ready to play.
“Now, he’s already fulfilled the part of that mandate, which was getting himself ready to play,” Ragone said.
Ryan tossed a 62-yard bomb to Michael Jenkins on Sept. 7, 2008 to start his fine career. In March, the team elected to move on from Ryan after 14 seasons.
After losing the Deshaun Watson derby to Cleveland, the Falcons traded Ryan and signed Mariota. He opened the season as the starter. Ridder, after running the scout team for 13 weeks, believes he’s ready to start in the NFL.
“It’s pretty high, and it just keeps continuing to grow with every single day, every single practice, getting especially in touch with the receivers,” Ridder said of his comfort level. “The relationship with the (offensive) linemen is great, but just even building it even more on the field.”
While running the scout team, Ridder was throwing to the backups and some practice-squad receivers.
“Just with the receivers, last time I threw to some of these guys might not have been in the previous weeks or whatever it may be, but actually back in camp, so just getting back on track with them, locking in with them and being on the same page,” Ridder said.
After he was named the starter Dec. 8 during the bye week, Ridder rallied the starting receivers and threw some timing routes at the team’s facilities.
“I’m just kind of taking it all in,” Ridder said. “Once we get down there, we know that it’s going to be an environment, know that it’s going to be an atmosphere, so just being able to handle that, and just being able to execute at the end of the day.”
While Mariota elected to leave the team and have a surgery after he was demoted, Ridder said he learned a few things from the former starter.
“How to go about your daily business is the one and most important thing that he taught me, as far as routine (and) putting together a schedule,” Ridder said. “How he goes about learning the offense, it’s all helped me prepare to be where I’m at today.”
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
The Falcons, who rank fourth in the league at running the ball, don’t plan to abandon the run, and Ridder noted that the offensive lineman have done a good job of moving the line of scrimmage in the run game.
Even while serving as the backup, Ridder said he was getting prepared to play.
“I was just preparing like I was the starter,” Ridder said. “Coming in this week, I haven’t changed anything. Just adding on, trying to do as much as I can to be prepared. ... Just being fully prepared for this first game will be something I won’t regret.”
Despite his preparations, the Saints are going to test the rookie.
“I mean you can’t know if you’re fully prepared, but you can prepare to the fullest. ... At the end of the day it is about confidence,” Ridder said.
At starring at St. Xavier High in Louisville, Ridder played for four seasons at Cincinnati and help guide the program to the College Football Playoff last season. Now, he finds himself tossed into the middle of the NFL playoff race.
“For me, it’s just about being a leader,” Ridder said. “Just leading these guys in whatever way possible. I’m not a stat guy, didn’t have all the stats at Cincinnati or whatever it may have been, but I’d rather have wins.”
The Falcons’ approach to preparing Ridder was much different than coach Mike Smith’s staff, which included offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave was in 2008. Ryan, who was selected third overall in the draft, was declared the starter in the exhibition season.
The franchise also was coming off of the season when Michael Vick faced federal dogfighting charges.
Ryan went on to post an 11-5 record and took the Falcons to the playoffs. The current regime took its time and showed patience before sending Ridder out on the field in a regular-season game.
As Ryan did in 2008, Ridder will lean heavily on the team’s rushing attack.
“All of us behind the scenes have done it a lot of different ways in different roles and you kind of cater to where the players are at,” coach Arthur Smith said. “With Matt last year, we had a different process than I had with Ryan (Tannehill) in Tennessee.
“Matt was obviously a veteran and some of the things that Dave and I did with him and (quarterbacks coach) Charles (London), that was a different process. I had a different process with Marcus and with Des. We’ve done a lot of different things because it’s important that you build a relationship.”
Smith said the key is to make sure that the signal-caller and the quarterback have a common vision. Smith is the team’s signal-caller.
“Des has been great,” Smith said. “Over the last month, you’ve seen a lot of accelerated growth. There’s a lot of things that we’re going to ask a quarterback to do. We feel comfortable with where he’s at, and we’re excited to see what it looks like.”
London believes that Ridder was well-prepared for the NFL.
“He was very well-coached at Cincinnati,” London said. “It was a pro-style offense. He came into the league in the spring with a very good foundation, a very good base. We just tried to build on it from there.”
Ridder has picked up the nuances of an NFL playbook.
“They did a great job with him at Cincinnati,” London said. “He’s a smart kid. He’s sharp. You can tell him something once, he will pick it up. We’ve just seen him continue to grow from there.”
The Falcons probably are not going to throw a 62-yard bomb on Ridder’s first pass play.
“He doesn’t need to go out there and play hero ball,” London said. “He just needs to go out there and do what he’s been trained to do since Day 1 when he got here. I look forward to the results on Sunday.”
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
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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 at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Dec. 24 at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Jan. 1 vs. Arizona, 1 p.m.
Jan. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, TBD
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