The Atlanta Falcons fell to 4-6 on the season after an ugly 25-15 loss on Thursday Night Football to the Carolina Panthers. As soon as the game ended the questions about the Falcons QB spot began.
John and Hugh immediately dove into that discussion on Friday morning as the team heads into a mini bye week before hosting the Chicago Bears.
"The quarterback is limited, we knew that going into the season, but he gives you the best chance to win," says Hugh Douglas. "Start Ridder, that's what everybody wants to see. Ridder doesn't give you the best chance to win, not right now."
"You have reached your ceiling and we have to find out about Desmond Ridder," says John Fricke. "I have no faith that they can get to the playoffs right right with Marcus Mariota. We waited 10 games, we see what it is, after watching that slop last night it's time to make a change."
While John and Hugh may not agree on this, the consensus from fans is that the time is right for Arthur Smith to make the change at QB. But they still wonder if he actually will.
From a timing aspect, right now makes the most sense. You have a few extra days off due to playing on Thursday, you are leading into a home game, and you are facing a Bears team that is no juggernaut defensively. It seems now is the chance to set Ridder up for the most success early on.
You also have the benefit of the bye week still to come, so if he's a bit overloaded through three games you have a week to step back and reset and further prepare the rookie.
Most say that four games isn't enough to really grasp what a QB can be, and if you don't insert Ridder now, the bye week in Week 14 is the next most likely time, which would leave just four games to see what he can do.
There's certainly no doubt that right now is the time that makes the most sense to make the QB switch, but the real question for Arthur Smith and the Falcons is, will they?
