When the Atlanta Falcons traded Desmond Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals, they may not have imagined a state of affairs by which they’d face their 2023 beginning quarterback within the yr 2024. It took Ridder not making the crew and signing to the Cardinals observe squad, being plucked off that squad by a quarterback-needy Raiders crew, and accidents to each Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell to thrust him into the beginning lineup.
But as soon as Ridder joined the Raiders, it appeared inevitable to me that the universe would work its magic to make sure it occurred, and positive sufficient, right here we’re. With O’Connell’s important damage, Ridder is the starter, and it’s simply in time for the Raiders to face the Falcons on Monday Night time Soccer.
Ridder, who undercut some sturdy video games as a passer with a whole lot of inconsistency and much too many turnovers, was a 2022 third spherical decide for the Falcons and a participant the entrance workplace and training workers positioned an unlimited quantity of religion in. When he fell quick, it performed a serious function in sinking Atlanta’s 2023 season, which ultimately led to the commerce and Arthur Smith’s firing. When Raheem Morris was employed, he talked overtly in regards to the significance of higher quarterback play for this Falcons crew, which was completely right. The one downside is that in Kirk Cousins’ current slide, he’s enjoying with the identical turnover-happy, I-can’t-believe-he-made-that-throw struggles that outlined a lot of Ridder’s Atlanta tenure.
Which means the Falcons will likely be haunted by a ghost of their current previous in primetime, one that may hope to place collectively a profession efficiency and sink them to point out he belongs as an NFL starter and Atlanta made a mistake. It means the Falcons should be sure that doesn’t occur whereas hoping Cousins places out of a rut to ship an enormous recreation, placing to relaxation the concept that the Falcons erred in signing him and incomes a win they desperately want.
The universe is humorous, isn’t it?
