Some Falcons supporters are hoping the team will make a change at quarterback, from Marcus Mariota to Desmond Ridder. Those calls predictably grew when Mariota struggled against the Bengals on Sunday. That noise will grow louder after two other teams that are in the same position as the Falcons – trying to get hot and make a run to the playoffs – switched quarterbacks.
The Colts benched Matt Ryan for Sam Ehlinger, the 10th quarterback selected in the 2021 NFL draft and No. 3 on Indy’s depth chart only three weeks ago. The move reportedly was made by team owner Jim Irsay, who days earlier credited Ryan for his team’s turnaround from winless to 3-1. Jerry Glanville’s famous quote about the NFL standing for Not For Long was directed at a rookie official, but it’s also true for players with Ryan’s stature.
New England quarterback Mac Jones, successor to Tom Brady, was bad against the Bears on Monday night before Bill Belichick switched to Bailey Zappe. The move may or may not have been related to Jones coming back from injury. Belichick said he planned to play both QBs. But he also said a two-QB rotation won’t be the norm and wouldn’t commit to a starter, which means Jones might stay on the bench.
