Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder got rave reviews after leading the team to a comeback win over the Texans in Week Five, but the notices won’t be so glowing after Week Six.
Ridder threw three interceptions, including one to linebacker Jamin Davis on Atlanta’s final offensive play of the game. Davis’ pick allowed the Commanders to leave Atlanta with a 24-16 win.
It’s the first time Ridder has lost a home game as a starter in either college or the NFL. It won’t be the last if he isn’t more careful with the ball in the future.
Ridder was picked off by Kendall Fuller on the first possession of the third quarter and that set up a Commanders touchdown that put them up 14 points. After a punt and a touchdown, Ridder was intercepted in the end zone by cornerback Benjamin St-Juste and the Falcons failed to convert a fourth down on their other second half possession.
The Falcons defense kept giving them chances by forcing punts and all three of Washington’s touchdowns came off of short fields as the Falcons also failed on a fourth down in the first half and gave up a long Jamison Crowder punt return. Those mistakes were a recipe for losing on a day when the defense came up with five sacks while limiting Washington to 193 yards of offense.
Sam Howell threw three touchdowns when he wasn’t continuing to rack up sacks at an alarming rate. He’s now up to 34 on the season and on pace to be sacked 96 times, but he avoided the kinds of mistakes that left Ridder and the Falcons as losers despite picking up 402 yards.
The 3-3 Falcons will try to clean things up when they face the Buccaneers next week. The Commanders will take a short trip to face the reeling Giants as they try to get to 4-3 on the season.
