Earlier this week, ESPN reported that Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith's job is safe, barring a disaster in their final four games.
Disaster has struck for Atlanta.
With no margin for error, the Falcons seemingly had an opportunity to hold serve or make up ground in front of tens of fans against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Instead, the same problem that has plagued the Falcons in many of their losses bit them again at the most inopportune time, as quarterback Desmond Ridder cost them in a 9-7 loss to a one-win Panthers team at Bank of America Stadium. Ridder completed 12 of 20 passes for 152 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Atlanta had a one-point lead as they trekked into the red zone with around eight minutes left in the game. Rather than taking care of the ball in the red zone and potentially settling for a field goal to make it a four-point game, Ridder rolled left, threw the ball back across the middle of the field and hit Panthers safety Xavier Woods in the chest for an interception.
Carolina chewed up the final seven minutes and 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter and won with a game-winning 23-yard field goal from Eddy Pineiro.
This is the second straight week Ridder's turnovers have cost Atlanta in a pivotal divisional contest. He had a fumble that resulted in a safety and an interception that led to a touchdown in the Falcons' 29-25 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) on Dec. 10 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Ridder has largely been a game manager but hasn't even been able that lately. Since becoming the starting quarterback again four games ago, he's thrown for under 200 yards and had multiple turnovers in two of them.
With the Falcons' playoff hopes and Smith's job potentially on the line, starting Taylor Heinicke should at least be a discussion. At the very least, Ridder should have a short hook heading into next Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts (8-6). Across three appearances, Heinicke has thrown for 498 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
The Falcons had a chance to control their destiny against the worst team in the league and keep pace with the Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints in the NFC South. Instead, Ridder's limitations struck again and now Atlanta will need all the help it can get with the Bucs and Saints each winning on Sunday.
Atlanta came into this season with Ridder as a big question mark for a team littered with talent. Now his play hasn't just left the Falcons season on life support, it may cost himself and other people jobs.
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