Mariota failing, the Falcons would give third-round selection Desmond Ridder a go.
The Falcons would be wise to give Ridder a shot in the remaining eight games of the season for a few different reasons.
The Falcons are still in the middle of things in the NFC South, but they won't win the division with Mariota behind center.
With him at the helm, Atlanta has had trouble getting its offense going, as he had a 61.7 passer rating before Thursday's game.
Take into account that one tight end In his first season, wide receiver Kyle Pitts amassed 1,000 yards receiving.
Mariota has been a good game manager, and his dual-threat talent has been a nice fit for Atlanta's run-first attack.