A new era started Friday on Atlanta Sports Radio 92.9 The Game as The Morning Shift with XFL and college football reporter Tiffany Blackmon, Alabama alumni and former Atlanta Falcons lineman Mike Johnson, and Atlanta sports radio guru, producer, and insider Beau Morgan made their debut.
The Morning Shift crew hit the ground running as they discussed if the ceiling for the Falcons is dependent on the ceiling of quarterback Desmond Ridder.
Beau believes without a doubt that the Falcons’ ceiling is not dependent on the ceiling of Ridder.
“The ceiling will be the roster, all Desmond Ridder has to do is come in and manage things," Morgan said. "He doesn’t have to do too much. He just needs to be serviceable, much like Jalen Hurts in his first year, do the little things right, don’t make major mistakes, and there’s no reason why you cannot win games with the roster and the talent they’re amassing with this team.”
Mike agrees and points out the fact that Ridder will be aided by an Arthur Smith offense that as we saw last year emphasizes the run.
“The quarterback almost becomes secondary in that kind of system," said Johnson. "And I think that’s really a lot of the reason they’re comfortable sticking with Desmond Ridder this year. We don’t have to go get the splash guy.
“I don’t need Anthony Richardson at eight to come in and stiff arm a bunch of people and run a 4.4 40, I can get a guy that can kind of be smart, manage the game, do all the right things, put us in the right position. I think if Arthur Smith had to lay out kind of his blueprint for how he wants things to go for the Falcons this year, Desmond Ridder probably takes a back seat to this run game and the things they are able to do up front.”
Ridder improved in each of his four games he started last year for the Falcons, and now has earned the opportunity to prove he is the next franchise quarterback of the Falcons. And while Ridder’s ceiling may not directly affect the Falcons' ceiling because of the talent that will be around around him next season, it still won’t hurt the Falcons, and it may just get them over the hump sooner rather than later, if Ridder’s ceiling is high.