Falcons vs. Lions Halftime Update: Drake London Hurt; QBs Look Strong
There is officially a new era being ushered in for the Atlanta Falcons, with a new quarterback set to lead the way this season following the offseason trade of Matt Ryan.
Marcus Mariota started this new era off for the Falcons, as the veteran quarterback started Atlanta's first preseason game of 2022 under center for the Falcons. However, the Falcons would start the game on defense as they face off against Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions.
Out of the gate it was a rough start for the Falcon defense, as the Detroit offense moved down the field with ease. A 10-play, 79-yard drive that took a little over five minutes off the clock saw the Lions take an early 7-0 lead on a 9-yard touchdown run from Lions running back D'Andre Swift.
Not to be outdone in the battle of veteran quarterbacks, Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota would take the field to lead a touchdown drive of his own. He showcased both his legs and arm talent, making plays out of nothing on a 12-play, 82-yard touchdown drive that chewed up nearly 10 minutes of game clock.
The highlight play of the drive was rookie receiver Drake London's first NFL catch, a 24-yard strike to convert a 1st and 20. That honeymoon phase would be short lived, though, as London would be ruled out of the game with a knee injury.
Following the long touchdown drive from Mariota, rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder would come in, offering Atlanta fans a glimpse at their potential franchise quarterback.
On Ridder's second drive in the second quarter he would lead the Falcons on a 7-play, 55-yard touchdown drive, showcasing his arm talent that had him drafted by Atlanta. He would cap off the drive with his first NFL touchdown, a one-yard touchdown to tight end Parker Hesse to give the Falcons the 14-10 lead.
Just before the half the Falcons defense would once again give up a lengthy drive, this time to Lions quarterback Tim Boyle. Boyle would lead the Lions on an 11-play, 69-yard drive that was capped off by a one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Devin Funchess to give the Lions a 17-14 lead with 47 seconds left in the half.
Not phased at all, Ridder would come out and lead an 8-play, 46-yard drive into field goal range, with 39 of those yards coming from Ridder's legs. Kicker Younghoe Koo would nail a 47-yard field goal as time expired to tie it 17-17 going into the half.
Ultimately, the preseason is not a wholistic look at what a team will look like when the regular season rolls around. However, the Falcons defense at times looked unable to stop the Lions offense, giving up 200 yards of total offense in the first half.
Offensively, there was flashes of life from the Falcons offense for both quarterbacks, especially Ridder. Ridder showed flashes of being a franchise quarterback, finishing the half going 6-12 for 63 yards and a touchdown while adding 39 rushing yards on two carries, which leads the Falcons.
As the Falcons prepare for the second half, they have to like what they see from Ridder. He may not start the season as the starter in Week 1 but he showed in his first half of NFL game action that he has the potential to be a quarterback of the future.
