The Atlanta Falcons are making a quarterback change for the third time this season, according to a report from The Athletic’s Jeff Schultz. Head coach Arthur Smith will bench second-year QB Desmond Ridder for veteran Taylor Heinicke with three games left to play.
Ridder started the first eight games but was benched at halftime of the team’s Week 8 loss to the Titans. After Heinicke went 0-2, the Falcons declared Ridder the starting QB for the rest of the season. However, that only lasted another five weeks.
Ridder tossed a soul-crushing fourth-quarter interception that likely cost Atlanta Sunday’s game against the Panthers. While Smith said he wasn’t going to play “musical chairs” with his starting quarterback, that’s essentially what he has done.
We’ll see how Heinicke fares against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16.
