Overhead camera footage shows reasons why the Falcons must move on from Desmond Ridder this offseason

Check out the “roof cam” footage mentioned in the article, it’s pretty neat.

NFL talent evaluators want to see accuracy, strong footwork, & a tight spiral on the ball (in addition to several other factors) when evaluating quarterback prospects. Now, you would think that throwing with a tight spiral isn’t nearly as important as throwing with fundamentals (accuracy & footwork) is when it comes to QB success. This fascinating video from Insider pours some cold water on that theory, as these three components work together in tandem to create consistently catchable passes.

New “roof cam” footage posted on the Atlanta Falcons YouTube channel shows that QB Desmond Ridder consistently fails to meet these basic quarterback standards, even in his season highlights where the team is trying to showcase him at his best. Ridder’s issue is that his fundamentals are so inconsistent that his receivers often have to bail him out by adjusting to off-target passes in the middle of their routes. Drake London does a great job of doing this, as we saw this past weekend when he made this incredible play on an awful deep ball that should have been intercepted. Unfortunately, Ridder has just one Drake London to throw to on this Falcons team…

Inaccuracy

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote analysis on Desmond Ridder as a draft prospect. Zierlein’s findings on Ridder noted that his accuracy and ball placement need work, and that getting the ball to NFL targets accurately and safely is not a given for him. We see an example of his inaccuracy at work here at 4:01 in the roof camera video. This is a pass that could’ve easily gone for a touchdown, but instead the receiver attempts to make an acrobatic adjustment to the ball as it sails well out of bounds.

Sloppy footwork

Lance Zierlein claims that Ridder has consistently repeatable footwork & good mechanics, but I’m going to present evidence to the contrary of his expert opinion. Let’s begin at 3:57 here, where we have a clear view of Desmond Ridder’s footwork. Throwing off his back foot here led to a wobbly (albeit completed) pass to London. The Falcons QB1 throws off his back foot again at 4:10, but this time with a much better spiral & placement where only the receiver could get his hands on the ball. Finally, here’s an instance of Ridder forcefully trying to throw the ball to Mack Hollins despite faulty mechanics on a successful trick play against the Packers.

Wobbly spiral

My biggest concern regarding Desmond Ridder is his lack of a tight football spiral. This was my main takeaway upon watching the roof cam video for the first time in that I noticed that the Falcons starter doesn’t always throw the ball with any spiral. There are several instances where this can be seen, including here, here, and here. His receivers aren’t always able to track the ball well in the air as a result of this weakness in his game, and they frequently have to adjust their routes to account for wobbly passes that aren’t always in the best locations for them to make the catches.

Closing thoughts

Desmond Ridder is clearly not the solution the Falcons should be looking for at QB. Accuracy, strong footwork, and a tight spiral on the football aren’t areas of strength in his game, and in fact you could say that they are some of his biggest weaknesses. He also turns the ball over at an alarming rate, as he has 15 total turnovers in comparison to 14 total touchdowns in 13 games as the Falcons starter this season. Total all of these things together, and it becomes crystal clear that the Falcons should be desperately searching for a new man under center in the 2024 offseason.

Why Tyreek Hill deserves to win the NFL MVP Award

The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award is traditionally reserved for the league’s top quarterback every year, as the last non-quarterback player to win this prestigious accolade was the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson more than a decade ago. Things could change this year though, as there is just no obvious “slam dunk” QB that’s just running away with the award like there typically has been in years prior. Dak Prescott, Brock Purdy, & Jalen Hurts (the current MVP odds favorites) are all having great seasons for their respective teams, but none of their individual achievements feel truly special in comparison to Tyreek Hill’s accomplishments.

Tyreek Hill has put up 93 catches on 127 targets for 1,481 yards (15.9 yards per reception) and 12 receiving touchdowns in 12 games for the Dolphins this year. Those are video game numbers, the likes of which the NFL hasn’t seen in a while. Hill is on pace to best Calvin Johnson’s single season receiving yards record of 1,964 receiving yards set during Johnson’s historic 2012 season with the Lions, and create his own club as the league’s first ever 2,000 yard receiver by the end of the year.

The Dolphins WR1 is simply uncoverable this year, as his worst statistical game came in Week 4 against the Bills where he mustered only 3 catches for 58 yards. Tyreek then followed that up with 8 catches for 181 yards & a TD against the Giants. He recently thanked the Commanders for “disrespecting” him by not giving safety help over the top of his routes, a decision which left his defenders in man coverage. This decision resulted in Hill posting 157 yards & 2 TDs in a 45-15 Dolphins victory.

Hill’s impact goes beyond the numbers on the gridiron, as the 9-3 Dolphins are on pace to win the AFC East for the first time since 2008 in part because of his efforts. His quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, is enjoying the best season of his career in 2023. Tua has nearly set career highs in yards (3,457), yards per attempt (8.6), passing touchdowns (24), and completion percentage (70.1%) with five games left to play.

Add all of these things together, & it’s clear that Tyreek Hill is having a special year. Will his season be special enough for the league’s sportswriters to award him MVP? That remains to be seen, but the possibility simply can’t be overlooked at this point. “Cheetah” is having a season for the ages, and so he’s very deserving of the several postseason accolades he racks up both on an individual level and on a team basis.

NFL Fireable Offenses (2023)

The NFL has seen its fair share of what I like to call “fireable offenses” this season. That is to say that there are certain coaching blunders which happen during every season that are simply inexcusable, and usually these outcomes lead to staff firings. You will see in the examples below though that this doesn’t always hold true for all.

Still though, these circumstances often draw negative commentary from the media. Unfortunately, this will often make the team lose focus, and as a result lose games. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the latest fireable offenses so far this season.

Broncos defense allows 70 points vs Dolphins

Seriously, just take a look at these highlights & you will understand why I believe that someone should’ve gotten fired from the outcome of this very fireable offense. Sure, the Dolphins offense is good, but putting up 70 points on an NFL team good? The Dolphins offense has cooled off considerably since their Week 5 masterpiece. So, what was the end result here? Did anyone lose their job over this 70-20 loss?

Result: DC Vance Joseph stays, defense rebounds nicely

Jets continue to stick with Zach Wilson

Matt Ryan, Carson Wentz, Josh Dobbs, & Ryan Tannehill were all available for the Jets to either trade for or sign during the year, & yet the team has Zach Wilson at QB. I can make an argument that each of those guys is better than Wilson, & they would only have been needed for under a full season with Aaron Rodgers’ return looming. Maybe that’s why nobody wanted to take the gig, but the Jets clearly should’ve tried. HC Robert Saleh recently “pleaded the fifth” when asked about Wilson by the media, so it’s unclear as to if he has any control over his team’s unsettling QB situation.

Result: Offense continues to lose games for the Jets

Raiders start Brian Hoyer in an NFL game

Finally, there’s a fireable offense that actually ended in a firing of the coach. Josh McDaniels had a myriad of issues, but key among them was his decision to start longtime journeyman QB Brian Hoyer over rookie Aidan O’ Connell in an NFL game. This decision caused the team to essentially give up on McDaniels, to the point where the players scheduled a team meeting to discuss everything that was going wrong with McDaniels’ leadership along with the offense’s lack of functionality.

Result: Josh McDaniels fired shortly after this decision

Bills lose on ridiculous “12th man” play

Watch Peyton Manning’s facial expressions here as he realizes what kind of sorcery just happened at the end of the Bills loss to the Broncos on Monday Night Football. There are just no excuses for this total collapse, and this all falls on the head coach. Football fans may never see another play like that one ever again in their lifetimes. The Broncos missed a kick that would have resulted in a Bills win; however, the Bills inexplicably had 12 men on the field & the refs called a penalty on the team for that. This penalty set up a game-winning kick chance for the Broncos in a 24-22 Bills loss.

Result: OC Ken Dorsey gets fired (for whatever reason)

Falcons put up 70 passing yards vs Cardinals

Last but not least, let’s talk about how the Falcons made the lowly Cardinals defense look like the almighty ’85 Bears defense in their embarrassing 25-23 loss to the team. Sure, they had Taylor Heinicke (and later Desmond Ridder) playing at QB for them, but c’mon now. Just 70 total passing yards?! Against the previously 1-8 Cardinals?! Personally, I feel as though we’re not talking about this catastrophe nearly enough.

Result: Arthur Smith is on the hot seat. Or is he? No one knows…

Where does Desmond Ridder rank amongst NFL QBs after 11 career starts?

It’s time to compare Desmond Ridder to his NFL peers.

Desmond Ridder has been in the NFL for two seasons, and he has 11 career starts to his name after taking over for an injured(?) Marcus Mariota in Week 15 of last year. Quarterback comparisons can commence as we’ve seen who Ridder is at this point. There’s obviously room for gradual improvement over time, but we’ve clearly seen that Ridder is unlikely to develop into a top-flight NFL quarterback anytime soon. With that sentiment in mind, let’s see where Ridder ranks amongst his NFL peers. We’ll begin by taking a look at his career statistics so far through 11 NFL starts.

By the numbers

The Falcons QB has a 6-5 win-loss record with 2,338 passing yards & 8 passing TDs. Other statistics, such as his completion percentage (64.7) & yards per attempt (6.8), seem to suggest that Ridder has the tools to make it as a starting NFL quarterback. He also leads the NFL in game-winning drives this season with four, again perhaps suggesting that the team should give him more time before reaching a decision.

Unfortunately for him, his 13 turnovers (6 INTs & 7 fumbles) have been his undoing. Ridder’s also been sacked 29 times in his career, and he’s at fault for some of those. There are other quarterbacks like him, but the league’s elite QBs don’t get sacked or turn the ball over in key moments like Ridder has done thus far in his NFL career.

Drawing comparisons

For the purpose of this exercise, I will be using Stathead Football’s Versus Finder Tool in order to compare Desmond Ridder to several of his fellow NFL QB peers. Daniel Jones, Mac Jones, and Kenny Pickett are the first names that come to mind.

Being compared to Daniel Jones is not necessarily a good thing, even though he got paid handsomely by the Giants to be their franchise quarterback this past offseason. His 22-35-1 career record leaves much to be desired, as does his 64 career turnovers. Surprisingly, Ridder bests Jones in several categories such as completion percentage (64.7 to 64.4), yards per attempt (6.8 to 6.6), and passing yards per game (213 to 212). Comparing Desmond Ridder to Daniel Jones might be an apt comparison after all.

Let’s talk about how Ridder compares to another Jones in Mac Jones of the Patriots. Mac Jones was great his rookie year, but he has since struggled to find NFL success. Jones’ QB rating (87.6) and yards per attempt (6.9) metrics are similar to Ridder’s 84.9 QBR and 6.8 YPA statistics through their young careers in the league thus far. Mac has also dealt with his share of bad coaching in his career, notably calling out his ex-offensive coordinator in frustration during a Patriots loss to the Bills last year.

Kenny Pickett and Desmond Ridder were selected in the same 2022 NFL draft class. Pickett and Ridder are actually similar in many ways, most notably so in their career touchdown passes (12 to 8), rushing TDs (4 to 3), and passing yards (3,661 to 2,338). Ridder actually has the edge in terms of yards per attempt (6.8 to 6.4), completion percentage (64.7 to 62.3), passing yards per game (212.5), and QBR (84.9 to 78.2). These two guys are probably the most comparable set of NFL QBs on the planet.

Well, at least he’s better than…

Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Joshua Dobbs, Gardner Minshew; that’s it, that’s the list. Fields is obviously superior as a rusher, but all of his passing statistics are terrible. Wilson is just a less accurate, equally turnover-prone version of Desmond Ridder. Dobbs has the exact same amount of TDs (8) and INTs (6) as Ridder in his 15 starts. Finally, Minshew’s 9-18 record as a starter makes me believe that he’s a backup QB.

The final verdict

Desmond Ridder, as currently characterized, is a bottom-five NFL starting QB. Ridder’s better than all of the league’s backup quarterbacks; however, he’s barely comparable to two bottom-tier NFL starters in the Jones boys (Daniel and Mac). Could Ridder limit his turnovers and improve his play down the line? Absolutely. That said, the comparison ceiling for him is probably someone like Jared Goff, and realistically he seems likely to end up as someone comparable to Ryan Tannehill. Arthur Smith would be okay if Ridder met that comparison, but how would you feel?

Where do the Braves go from here?

After an impressive 104-win regular season, the Braves found themselves once again falling victim to their division rival Phillies in the NLDS for the second year in a row. Unfortunately, there was deja vu as the team once again lost 3-1 in the playoff series. That said, it’s clear that the Braves are at a crossroads after winning it all in 2021. Where do they go from here after a historic 2023 season fell short of expectations?

Lots, and lots, of options

The Braves have five players who they will need to make a decision upon whether or not they want them to return to the team in 2024, beginning with Charlie Morton. Basically, if the 39-year old Morton wants to continue playing in 2024 instead of retiring, then the Braves are likely to pick up the $20M team option on his contract. Uncle Charlie has been invaluable to the pitching staff and could continue playing.

The rest of the options aren’t easy decisions, but I believe the team will decline the options of Brad Hand ($7M mutual) and Collin McHugh ($6M team, $1M buyout). Options for Eddie Rosario ($9M team) and Kirby Yates ($5.75M team, $1.25M buyout) are a different story, as I believe both of those guys could be brought back next year. Still though, it’s not out of the question to think that the team could look to upgrade in LF & in the bullpen, which are two areas that should be addressed this offseason.

Free agency frenzy

More decisions await the Braves this offseason, as players head for free agency. Pierce Johnson, Joe Jimenez, Jesse Chavez, & Kevin Pillar are all free agents in 2024. Remember that the team traded for Jimenez, so he seems likely to be brought back. That goes double for Johnson, a trade deadline acquisition from the Rockies in 2023. Pillar & Chavez are likely candidates to sign minor league deals later this offseason.

Upgrading the roster

While it’s clear that the Braves need to take care of in-house business first, they also need to sign impactful free agents and/or make trade acquisitions this offseason. I’m not opposed to making upgrades in LF & SS after the bats went cold in the playoffs. Orlando Arcia was a nice feel good story during the first half of the season; however, his bat went ice cold down the stretch & the team signed Nicky Lopez for a reason. Eddie Rosario & Kevin Pillar platooned in LF last year, but things weren’t perfect. Signing someone like Cody Bellinger or Teoscar Hernandez could benefit the club. Reuniting with old friends like Adam Duvall & Joc Pederson should be discussed too.

Acquiring a starting pitcher should also be atop the offseason priorities after NLDS Game 3 starter Bryce Elder struggled down the stretch & in that particular game. Charlie Morton coming back would certainly help to stabilize the rotation, but that decision isn’t entirely up to the team & they still need an upgrade regardless. Kyle Wright will miss next season due to shoulder surgery, & other rotation options such as Bryce Elder, Ian Anderson, & Mike Soroka have been untrustworthy to date.

That said, there are plenty of frontline starters on the market this offseason including Shohei Ohtani (LAA), Marcus Stroman (CHI), Aaron Nola (PHI), & others. I’m not sure if we have money to sign any of those guys, but we must sign a reliable young starter in 2024 if we have any hope of contending for a World Series title.

How many more starts will Desmond Ridder receive from the Falcons?

The Falcons put a tremendous amount of faith in Desmond Ridder this offseason. They declined to enter the Lamar Jackson sweepstakes, and the team then doubled down by not going after any of the highly touted QB prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. Will their faith in the second year pro out of Cincinnati be rewarded down the line?

So far, things are not going very well for Ridder, nor the Falcons offense as a whole. The Falcons QB1 is averaging just 186 passing yards per game & 6.3 yards per attempt, as well as four sacks per game (16 total) in four games so far this season. The offensive unit ranks 25th in points per game (15.5), 24th in yards per game (284.3), & 32nd in passing yards per game (156.3). That’s just not good enough.

With all of that being said, it’s fair to wonder just how long of a leash the Falcons plan on giving Ridder to turn things around this season & in the distant future. Third round picks typically don’t get as many opportunities to prove themselves as first rounders do, and the team also signed former Commanders starter Taylor Heinicke, one of the best backup QBs in the league, to a 2-year, $14M deal this offseason. Let’s not forget that this is the same team that gave Marcus Mariota 13 starts last season.

My opinion is that Desmond Ridder has about six more games to prove himself. That would give him 14 career starts, which is a decent enough sample size for a QB. Not only that, but Taylor Heinicke would have an extra week of preparation to face the Saints at home in Week 12 if the team benches Ridder during their Week 11 bye.

I’m not saying that Ridder will be benched; however, things aren’t going well so far. The team has invested far too much in the offense, including $49,264,559 in the offensive line & three straight first round picks at the skill positions, for the unit to have their starting QB holding them back from reaching their full potential.

NFL Week 1 Games to Watch

Football is back, baby! Week 1 of the NFL season begins with the Lions & the Chiefs. That’s not all though, as there are several other great games on the Week 1 docket. For instance, the other primetime games (Giants-Cowboys, Jets-Bills) are appealing. Personally, I’m excited for the Falcons vs. Panthers game as I will be in attendance. Without further ado, let’s dive into the beginning of an exciting new NFL season.

Lions at Chiefs on NBC (Thursday Night Football)

The Lions are back in the national spotlight for the first time in what feels like eons. After a 9-8 season that saw the team barely miss the playoffs, the Lions are on the rise & facing off against the reigning Super Bowl Champions at Arrowhead Stadium. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are vulnerable with the pre-game news that All Pro tight end Travis Kelce will miss this game due to a knee injury he suffered in practice recently. Regardless, this game should deliver plenty of fireworks as two of the top offenses in the league square off in what could be a shootout that comes down to the wire.

Cowboys at Giants on NBC (Sunday Night Football)

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has owned the Giants in recent years, posting a 10-2 overall record against them; plus, he has a 10-0 record against the G-Men since 2017. Despite these daunting statistics, the Giants have a renewed sense of optimism after finishing 9-7 last season & winning a Wild Card playoff matchup over the Vikings. Week 1 is unpredictable, especially for two divisional foes in a primetime affair. Get your popcorn ready & watch the action unfold in a Sunday night game for the ages.

Bills at Jets on ESPN (Monday Night Football)

This game certainly won’t be lacking in intrigue as Aaron Rodgers makes his Jets debut in primetime against the reigning AFC East division champion Buffalo Bills. Meanwhile, this Week 1 tilt will mark the, “first time the Bills have their entire secondary healthy and playing together since Thanksgiving of the 2021 [season].” Also for the Bills, Damar Hamlin makes his triumphant return to the football field for the first time since suffering a medical scare in a game vs the Bengals last year. An epic showdown awaits as there is no shortage of storylines to follow in this one.

49ers at Steelers on FOX (1:00 P.M. ET)

Two of the league’s best defensive lines square off in this rare non-conference affair. Speaking of which, the 49ers backed up the Brinks truck in the final hour of negotiations in order to pay star DE Nick Bosa before the beginning of the season. It’s unclear exactly how much playing time he will receive; however, some Bosa is definitely better than no Bosa for the 49ers franchise & their loyal fans worldwide. Opposing Bosa will be TJ Watt, who battled several injuries in a down 2022 season. When healthy & playing at their best, these guys are the creme of the crop at DE. It will be interesting to see which of these guys leads their team to victory on Sunday.

Dolphins at Chargers on CBS (4:25 P.M. ET)

Man, you would be hard pressed to find a matchup of more evenly matched teams. Both teams finished with similar records (10-7 for the Chargers, 9-8 for the Dolphins) and got bounced in the AFC’s Wild Card round of the playoffs last season. These two teams will forever be linked after the Dolphins chose Tua Tagovailoa with the 5th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft right before the Chargers selected Justin Herbert. The Chargers paid Justin Herbert, while the ‘Fins picked up Tua’s fifth-year option. Both guys have plenty of offensive firepower to work with including WR Tyreek Hill, RB Austin Ekeler, WR Jaylen Waddle, WR Keenan Allen, & a few other playmakers. There will be plenty of highlights in this contest featuring two of the AFC’s best QBs.

My top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL right now

Quarterback is the most important position in all of sports.

With the retirements of franchise icons such as Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, & others in recent years, there’s been a change of the guard at QB.  There is no longer a clear consensus on which quarterbacks are amongst the elite at the position. The AFC is loaded with quarterback talent, while there are only a few obvious NFC standouts. Here is my attempt at doing the impossible in ranking the top ten QBs in the league right now. These rankings are based on previous track record, 2022 stats, & outlook for the 2023 season.

#1: Patrick Mahomes

2022 stats: 5,250 passing yards, 41 TDs, 12 INT, 67.1% completion

It’s Patrick Mahomes’ world in the league these days, and we’re all simply living in it. Mahomes led the league in passing TDs, yards per attempt (8), & passer rating (105) last year. The reigning league MVP and Super Bowl LVII MVP continues making his case for Canton.

#2: Joe Burrow

2022 stats: 4,475 passing yards, 35 TDs, 12 INT, 68.3% completion

This is where the real debate begins, as opinions certainly vary about whether to have Burrow, Allen, or Hurts in this #2 spot behind Mahomes in the top ten quarterback rankings. Burrow gets my vote after finishing 2nd in the NFL in completion % (68) & TDs (35) in 2022. He’s elevated the Bengals from obscurity to Super Bowl contending status in just three seasons.

#3: Josh Allen

2022 stats: 4,283 passing yards, 35 TDs, 14 INT, 63.3% completion

Allen also rushed for 762 yards & 7 TDs last season, which is such a remarkable feat. This means that he actually had almost as many TDs (42 total) as Mahomes (45) did last year.  He needs to take better care of the ball (25 turnovers) in order to get over the proverbial hump.

#4: Jalen Hurts

2022 stats: 3,701 passing yards, 22 TDs, 6 INT, 66.5% completion

Hurts rushed for 760 yards & 13 TDs in 2022, showcasing dynamic playmaking ability.  His outstanding performance in Super Bowl LVII earned him a lucrative payday this offseason. There’s no doubt that he’s the best quarterback in the NFC, & there’s still room for growth here.

#5: Justin Herbert

2022 stats: 4,739 passing yards, 25 TDs, 10 INT, 68.2% completion

Herbert is as tough as nails, playing through fractured rib cartilage & a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder while leading his team to a 10-7 mark & an AFC Wild Card playoff berth. He’s been brilliant through three seasons, & it’s not his fault that the Chargers can’t play defense.

#6: Aaron Rodgers

2022 stats: 3,695 passing yards, 26 TDs, 12 INT, 64.6% completion

The four-time NFL MVP is coming off a down year by his standards; however, my belief is that he will bounce back this season after reuniting with OC Nathaniel Hackett in New York. Rodgers still has the ability to carry a team on his shoulders, but he shouldn’t have to for the Jets. Would it really shock anyone if, in six months from now, Rodgers wins his 5th NFL MVP Award?

#7: Lamar Jackson

2022 stats: 2,242 passing yards, 17 TDs, 7 INT, 62.3% completion

I’m still a believer in the 2019 NFL MVP, but he needs to stay healthy over a full season. Health has been an issue for Jackson, & it’s the only thing keeping him from achieving greatness. The Ravens have done their part this offseason in supporting their superstar QB by paying him & giving him better weapons to work with, & the pressure is now on Lamar to make things happen.

#8: Trevor Lawrence

2022 stats: 4,113 passing yards, 25 TDs, 8 INT, 66.3% completion

Let’s credit Doug Pederson for Lawrence’s career revival last season, as the former No. 1 overall pick made huge strides in his second season under the former Super Bowl winning coach. The Jaguars went from worst to first last year due to these dynamic changes, culminating in a 9-8 record, an AFC South division title, and a 31-30 comeback win over the Chargers in the playoffs. There’s potential for Lawerence to be even better in year three with new offseason additions.

#9: Matt Stafford

2022 stats: 2,087 passing yards, 10 TDs, 8 INT, 68.0% completion

Stafford is probably the 2nd best QB in the NFC now behind Jalen Hurts after the recent retirements of Tom Brady & Drew Brees, along with Aaron Rodgers’ offseason trade to the Jets. He’s certainly got the track record as a Super Bowl winning QB; however, his injury history & inconsistent play mean that his outlook for 2023 isn’t as rosy as some of the others on this list. Still though, the last time we saw a fully healthy Stafford he was leading the Rams to victory in Super Bowl LVI while throwing for 4,886 yards, 41 TDs, & 17 INT during the regular season.

#10: Jared Goff

2022 stats: 4,438 passing yards, 29 TDs, 7 INT, 65.1% completion

Goff was an afterthought player in the Matt Stafford trade a couple years ago, & although that move worked out pretty well for the Rams, it’s also worked out rather well for the Lions too. Remember that Goff is still just 28 years old, and he has a Super Bowl appearance on his resume. He also has three Pro Bowl selections and a solid track record of QB performance under his belt.

Also considered: Kirk Cousins (Vikings), Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins), Geno Smith (Seahawks)

The Atlanta Falcons “9 to 5” Offense

The Falcons have spent several premium draft picks on offensive skill position players in recent years, including the use of their last three first round draft picks in acquiring TE Kyle Pitts (#8), WR Drake London (#5), and RB Bijan Robinson (#7). Combine the numbers of those players with K Younghoe Koo (#6) & QB Desmond Ridder (#9), & you get a Falcons’ “9 to 5” offense that has explosive on-field potential.

All members of the 9 to 5 are under age 30, with Younghoe Koo (29) being the oldest. In fact, most of these guys are under the age of 25, with Desmond Ridder (23), Kyle Pitts (22), Drake London (22), & Bijan Robinson (21) rounding out the offensive unit. After years of relying on aging veterans such as Matt Ryan & Julio Jones to carry the offense, this bold strategy should be welcome news to the ears of most Falcons fans.

These five guys will account for 90-95% of the team’s offensive production in 2023. Growing pains are inevitable with a first year starter at quarterback (Ridder), a rookie running back (Robinson), & a couple youngins’ (Pitts & London) in the unit. That said, there’s still a lot to like about this offensive unit’s elite potential in 2023.

Kyle Pitts already has one 1,000 yard season under his belt, & Younghoe Koo has established himself as one of the league’s best kickers since joining Atlanta in 2019. Drake London had the third most yards among rookie WRs (866) last year despite catching passes from the ever-so-inaccurate Marcus Mariota for most of the season. Finally, rookie RB Bijan Robinson is projected by PFF to lead the league in rushing!

Add all of this up, and it’s clear that while it might take some time, this offense has sky high potential for this upcoming season and possibly even further beyond that.

Can Spencer Strider win the NL Cy Young?

Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider is a contender for the NL Cy Young Award, an honor which goes to the best pitcher in the National League at the end of the season.

The simple answer here is yes, as Strider’s currently leading the majors in strikeouts (227), wins (14), & FIP (2.87), while also claiming the 9th best ERA (3.57) in the game. He’s assumed the role of Braves ace in the absence of Max Fried, & he’s pitched well. ESPN’s Cy Young Predictor ranks him 2nd in terms of probability to win this award. Let’s take a look into where Strider’s performance ranks amongst award contenders.

Devin Williams, the Brewers closer, is the current frontrunner in the Cy Young race. Williams has a miniscule of 1.53 ERA with 7 wins and 29 saves on the season so far. He’s been unbelievable for the Brew Crew, but it’s rare that relievers win a Cy Young. Since its inception in 1956, only eight relievers have ever claimed a Cy Young Award. That’s why it’s hard for me to believe that a reliever will accomplish the feat in 2023.

Strider’s other competition consists of four relievers, a Braves teammate (Charlie Morton), and a handful of starters with whom his stats stack up quite well against. For example, his strikeout total of 227 bests Zac Gallen (168) by a wide margin (59), & he’s started more games (25) than both Justin Steele (22) & Clayton Kershaw (18). He’s tied with Steele for the MLB lead in wins (14), with Gallen (13) the runner-up. Spencer has the highest ERA (3.57) among qualifiers, but there’s time to get it right.

My belief is that the best pitcher in baseball playing for the best team in baseball deserves to win the NL’s coveted Cy Young Award, wouldn’t you agree with me? Strider just needs to keep on doing what he’s been doing, & he should win the honor.