Desmond Ridder flips the script, leads Falcons to comeback win over Packers

NFL: SEP 17 Packers at Falcons

For the first time in what feels like a lifetime of disappointment, the Falcons were on the other end of a double-digit, fourth-quarter comeback win. Desmond Ridder led Atlanta down 12 points with less than 12 minutes left in the game to a one-point win over the Packers.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing for the Falcons offense and Ridder, who threw the first interception of his career and narrowly escaped a pick-six dropped by Jaire Alexander. It wasn’t pretty and looked a lot like the guy from Week 1 that struggled.

However, it seems the Falcons might be a second-half team behind Desmond Ridder, capturing his fourth-straight win behind a winning performance on the ground and through the air.

Ridder completed 19-of-32 passes for 237 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while adding another 39 yards and a score on the ground. When everything was on the line in the fourth quarter, Ridder was nearly perfect, completing 6-0f-8 fourth-quarter passes, including a 45-yard flea flicker to Mack Hollins and a massive third down slant to Bijan Robinson.

It’s clear the Falcons rallied around their quarterback; Desmond Ridder has been heralded for his intangibles, and we got our first taste of that on Sunday.

“Guys believe in him. You can see it,” Arthur Smith said. “I think in those critical situations, he’s been at his best and that’s been his history.”

It’s a nice feeling for the Falcons to be on the other end of one of these comebacks. Typically, Atlanta would be up 12 points with 12 minutes left, and we’d be here sitting on Monday doing the same song and dance. Ridder and the Falcons have things to clean up after another ugly win, but once again, nobody in that locker room is apologizing for being 2-0.

Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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