Falcons benching Desmond Ridder for Taylor Heinicke https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38793670/falcons-elevate-taylor-heinicke-starting-qb-vikings From ESPN: Falcons coach Arthur Smith declined to get into medical conversations about where Ridder is at -- Smith had mentioned discussions with medical staffs Sunday and Monday -- other than to say he's cleared. He also didn't get too far into the decision-making process, other than to continue to say there were "a lot of variables." Is this performance-based? "There's a lot of variables," Smith said. From a performance perspective, Ridder completed 65.4% of his passes this season for 1,701 yards, 6 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in his eight starts. -- Turnovers, particular fumbles have been his downfall. Ridder is ranked 25th in QBR (Total Quarterback Rating) among 32 qualifying QBs, just ahead of Daniel Jones (26th), Justin Fields (27th) and Zach Wilson (28th).
You may be of the opinion that he is playing at NFL level. I would say he is playing at very low NFL level. Until the time comes that he may play consistently and competently at average or better NFL level the Jets need to plan for a different future. I didn't see anything about NC's sources or anything at all claiming Wilson's ADHD is or was severe, but I don't look to fan publications or podcasts and the like for accurate information.
He also has the ability to put the charm on a handful of guys claiming they are the real football experts here.
Zack was truly terrible last year, but I think this year he's playing fairly well (mid-NFL starting level) now. In evaluating a QB, its important to take into account the players around him and the play calling. His #2 receiver (Lazard) is second in the NFL in drops (20%) and the only WR with a higher drop percentage is his #3/4 receiver (Cobb, 40% drop rate). Lazard had a number of terrible drops in the Giants game. The only WR he has that can beat man coverage is Garret Wilson and teams are using man coverage against him on 38% of his drop backs (the highest rate in the NFL, #2 is 31%) because they know he doesn't have other players that can beat man coverage. He has been playing with a patchwork OL with 5 starting players who have gone on IR and Hacket calls very conservative game plans (at least until the Jets are behind and in trouble). When they unleash him (which only happens when they don't have a choice), he has played very well (Chiefs game, end of Giants game). I really wish they'd just unleash him much earlier in the games and run a bunch of deep routes and let the kid unleash some deep shots. He hits a few of those and that'll open up play action and the running game. Also, with the terrible WR core he has, its time to give some of their UDFAs a shot at WR because the ones he has (other than Wilson) aren't getting the job done. Has he made mistakes? Of course he has, but he's a young player in a new offensive system. He has also come a long way and solved many of his problems - his mechanics are vastly improved, he isn't running out of the back of the pocket very much anymore, and he's now standing in the pocket and delivering strikes while getting creamed because of his porous OL (see Giants game). Don't just judge him on the box score. Am I saying he's going to be a franchise QB? No, I'm not, but I'm not saying that can't be a franchise QB. He has made a tremendous leap this year and if he continues to improve perhaps he can become a franchise QB.
I see Zach making the stats sheet! Of late he has been mildly better, at giving the ball away, I guess, that's a bonus
It's just funny these other QB's have one or a handful of Zach-esque games (Jimmy G/Ridder) and they are immediately benched because any self respecting organization knows its simply unacceptable. Yet we roll this dude out three years and counting.
The frustrating thing with Wilson, he has these moments, where he looks elite, he just can't maintain that for a entire game, I seen some Zach has the most come from behind victories, that speaks more to the fact of how inept the offense is, Jets are always playing from behind, I'd give my left nut for Wilson, to prove me wrong, but people lie, numbers don't.
