FLOWERY BRANCH – The Falcons (5-8) want to improve their passing attack, and the wide receivers will need to help rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder, who’s set to make his NFL regular-season debut against the Saints (4-9) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Caesars Superdome.
The receivers will be the X-factor as the Falcons try to balance their attack, which features the league’s fourth-ranked rushing game and 31st passing attack.
After being named the starter, Ridder called some practices with the receivers.
“Just the regular stuff, our route tree that we’ve been running,” wide receiver Drake London said. “Just dialing it in.”
The Falcons are confident that Ridder will throw some catchable passes.
“Just his demeanor and who he is,” London said. “He’s a guy that just lets it hang and does what he does at the end of the day. I am excited to see him showcase that in front of everybody.”
London, the team’s leading receiver (47 receptions), also used to spend some time with Ridder after practice working on the Falcons’ plays.
“Yeah, whoever’s out there after practice throwing. At the end of the day, whoever is throwing the ball, if he’s out there, we’re going to get work in,” London said.
Olamide Zaccheaus (32 catches) and KhaDarel Hodge (12) are the second-and fourth-leading receivers on the team. Running back Cordarrelle Patterson (11) and Damiere Byrd (10) also help in the passing attack.
“Those guys have, you know, whatever their role is in each game, and it switches from game-to-game, what their role might be,” Falcons wide receivers coach T.J. Yates said. “Those guys have fully bought into what we’re trying to do here and how we play football.”
Yates believes the group around Ridder will step up.
“So, it’s been a really good group to coach,” Yates said. “They’re very, very smart. You know, you tell the guy something one time, he gets it. We can move them around to different positions, all those different guys, and like you said, the majority of the guys that are playing for us right now are veterans.”
The veterans have helped to mentor Ridder.
“They’re good with helping him out,” Yates said. “They pulled him aside, and sometimes some of the best coaching is from your teammates that have done it for years and years.”
The receivers will stick together as they try to support Ridder.
“They’re a tight-knit group,” Yates said. “They talk. They communicate. They play for each other, and they play for our team. So, it’s been a fun time coaching.”
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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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