The Falcons lost their second straight game on Thursday night, this time to the 3–7 Panthers, and quarterback Marcus Mariota struggled once again. The quarterback failed to take advantage of opportunities to try and regain first place in the NFC South.
The loss led many to question whether it is time for Falcons third-round quarterback Desmond Ritter to get a chance. After the game, head coach Arthur Smith sidestepped questions about changing quarterbacks, and didn’t confirm that Mariota will remain starter.
“I know those are popular narratives, those are the easy questions to ask,” Smith said, via ProFootballTalk.