Falcons QB Desmond Ridder addresses sideline incident with Mack Hollins

"I was coming over saying whatever, and he had just a break of emotion," Ridder said Thursday, via Josh Kendall of The Athletic. "He obviously plays with a lot of emotion. We know we weren't supposed to be playing the way we were playing, and that makes a lot of people mad."

Despite an offense that includes talented playmakers (rookie RB Bijan Robinson and WR Drake London), the Falcons (2-2) are averaging the seventh-fewest points per game (15.5) in the NFL.

Some have blamed the second-year QB, who is completing 61.3 percent of passes and posting a below-average 29.2 QBR, 31st in the NFL.

Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith is sticking with him as the starter in Week 5 against Houston but has not ruled out the possibility that he will bench him.

"There's a fine line between always jerking the wheel and making a guy more hesitant, and you got to make the best decision for your team moving forward," Smith said in a Monday news conference. "If you think the biggest issue is making a change, then that's what you have to do."

If Ridder fails to improve, expect Atlanta to look into acquiring another QB since backup Taylor Heinicke isn't a viable starter. ESPN Insider Dan Graziano recently suggested it "should" mull trading for Minnesota's Kirk Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler.

Nonetheless, it's a good sign that Ridder admitted he and the offense must step up. And there's still a chance he could rebound, thanks to a strong supporting cast.