Falcons’ Ridder aims to eliminate turnovers while continuing to provide balance to offense – News18

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga.: The Atlanta Falcons appeared to be dedicated to a run-first offense by the primary 4 weeks of the season.

Look once more.

Desmond Ridder has posted back-to-back video games with greater than 300 passing yards the previous two weeks, the primary of his profession. Coach Arthur Smith says the offense is evolving, even when the adjustments have include some ache, together with Ridder’s three interceptions in final week’s 24-16 house loss to Washington.

It was Ridder’s second recreation with three turnovers prior to now three weeks, a disturbing pattern. Smith prefers to describe the 2 turnover-stuffed video games as exceptions to the quarterback’s skill to keep away from errors in most of his 10 begins.

Ridder threw and ran for touchdowns while passing for a profession-excessive 329 yards with no interceptions in a 21-19 win over Houston on Oct. 8. The second-yr quarterback handed for 307 yards with two touchdowns final week, however the three interceptions spoiled his day.

Even so, Ridder stated Wednesday he hopes the Falcons’ sudden upswing in passing yards makes it harder for Tampa Bay to devise a defensive scheme for Sunday’s recreation.

“I hope every single week a defense has to second-guess what our plan is going to be,” Ridder stated. “Are we going to throw it 50 times or are we going to run it 50 times? For us an offense, obviously it’s huge to try to keep a defense on its toes.”

Entering the season, Atlanta was decided to construct its offense round operating backs Bijan Robinson, the No. 8 total choose on this yr’s draft, and Tyler Allgeier, who ran for 1,035 yards as a rookie in 2022.

Robinson leads the Falcons (3-3) with 401 yards speeding, however his solely two touchdowns have come as a receiver. He has been held below 50 yards on the bottom in three of the previous 4 video games as defenses have stacked the field towards Atlanta’s operating recreation. Robinson had 13 carries for less than 37 yards towards Washington.

Smith hopes a extra balanced Atlanta offense creates alternatives for Robinson and Ridder.

“You want balance,” Smith stated Wednesday. “I’ve seen improvement. Obviously you want to eliminate the errors, but I’ve seen obvious improvement.”

When requested concerning the new-look offense following Sunday’s loss, Smith stated: “Why force 45 runs when you have other ways to move it? That’s why you want to be balanced.”

With the elevated emphasis on the passing recreation, particularly downfield throws, has come a rise in interceptions. Ridder has six interceptions with six landing passes in six video games.

Veteran backup Taylor Heinicke has remained on the sideline as Smith stays loyal to Ridder. Even so, the coach stated Wednesday the turnovers can’t proceed.

“You look at patterns and have to acknowledge them,” Smith stated. “You don’t want to sugar-coat anything. You have to learn from your mistakes, too. … If it becomes a major trend, then you have a bigger problem.”

Smith stated he sees “things you’ve got to fix” within the passing recreation however added “there is progress being made … some big-time throws being made.”

Ridder confirmed frustration on the sideline following his second interception on Sunday however typically has remained poised.

“It’s neutral thinking, it’s never being too high, never being too low,” Ridder stated. “Throughout the entire game there’s ups and downs. … You’ve kind of just got to take a good look in the mirror and see where you went wrong, where you could have done better and move on to the future.”

NOTES: The Falcons launched security Jaylinn Hawkins, who began 16 video games in 2022, and signed security Micah Abernathy from the follow squad. Hawkins was a fourth-spherical choose in 2020 who had three tackles as a backup this season.

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(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)