The Atlanta Falcons picked a bad time to turn in their most disappointing performance of the season. While the Falcons were losing to the Carolina Panthers, both the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their respective games to leapfrog Atlanta in the NFC South standings.
Here are this week’s studs and duds from the Falcons’ 9-7 loss to the Panthers.
Dud: Bijan Robinson
The rookie has had a great season thus far, but he has to protect the football better going forward. On Sunday, Robinson lost his third fumble of the year, and this one was costly. The first of Atlanta’s two turnovers in Week 15 kept the Panthers in the game. Robinson finished with just 11 rushing yards on seven carries in Sunday’s loss.
Stud: Calais Campbell
Defensive lineman Calais Campbell, along with a handful of other defensive players, had a solid outing against Carolina. While it’s true the Panthers are the worst team in the league and it was a rainy game, that doesn’t take away from Campbell’s consistent play at age 37. The veteran’s early sack of Panthers QB Bryce Young saw him move into the top 35 all-time in career sacks. Campbell has been extremely valuable to the Falcons defense this season, especially with the injuries to Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata.
Dud: Desmond Ridder
It has become a weekly thing with Desmond Ridder, but his mindless fourth-quarter interception in the red zone was extremely costly. Carolina burned the remaining clock and kicked a field goal to win the game. Life is short in the NFL when you can’t protect the football, and those mistakes become magnified if you’re a quarterback. Ridder hasn’t put this team in a position to succeed, despite having a capable roster around him.
Dud: Arthur Smith
Echoing the sentiments regarding Ridder, Arthur Smith doesn’t appear to have what it takes to get this team where it wants to go. You cannot use the rain as an excuse for another dreadful showing on offense. Smith, who is supposed to be an offensive guru, has consistently produced a dull and ineffective product. Going with Ridder was his decision, and after nearly three seasons, fans have more questions than answers on the direction of the team.
