On Sunday, Ridder allowed his team to come from behind to win 21-19 against the Houston Texans, responding to those who wanted to see him removed from the lineup.
Younghoe Koo capped Ridder’s unit’s final offensive push with a game-clinching 37-yard field goal on the very last play of the game.
The biggest play of the sequence was a 23-yard pass from Ridder to Drake London. A play that was “essentially decisive” in this meeting, according to Smith.
“Now he has some evidence, a big comeback in the fourth quarter,” Smith added.
His six-yard touchdown pass to running back Bijan Robinson and subsequent two-point conversion gave the Falcons (3-2) a 15-12 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Robinson caught the pass behind him on the hip before running through the center of the Texans (2-3) defense into the end zone.
Ridder, in his first season as starting quarterback, came under increasing criticism after throwing three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, in a 23-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week in London. .
His comeback ended the Texans’ two-game winning streak.
“We proved we can keep our composure,” Riddler said. It was one of my first real two-minute sequences. I didn’t try to force plays and I stayed true to myself and my style of play.”
Rookie C. J. Stroud responded to Robinson’s touchdown with an 18-yard touchdown pass to slotback Dalton Schultz, making it 19-18 in favor of the Texans with 1 minute 49 seconds on the clock. Schultz found an opening in the middle, behind safety Jessie Bates.
Before Schultz’s major, the Texans had four field goals, all by Ka’imi Fairbairn, including a 28-yarder with three seconds left in the first half.
“We had a sense of urgency during that stretch that we obviously needed to play better earlier in the game,” Schultz said. We cannot always make investments. »
Stroud set a new NFL mark by starting his career with 177 pass attempts without an interception. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott previously held the record.
“Getting the ball intercepted is a great way to lose,” Stroud said.
Stroud completed 20 of 35 passes for 249 yards and a major. Ridder connected with his receivers 28 times in 37 attempts for 329 yards and a touchdown. He also reached the end zone with a seven-yard run in the first quarter.
The Texans will host the New Orleans Saints next Sunday. The Falcons will receive a visit from the Washington Commanders.
Kenny Pickett connected with George Pickens on a 41-yard touchdown run with 1:17 left and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 on Sunday.
Pickett and his offense didn’t accomplish much in the first 55 minutes of play, but a late interception by freshman cornerback Joey Porter Jr. gave the Steelers life (3-2). The team advanced 80 yards in eight plays, the last 41 on a long pass to Pickens toward the end zone.
The touchdown was the Steelers’ first in nearly nine quarters, which was enough to beat the Ravens (3-2). The Ravens committed three turnovers, including two in the final five minutes.
Chris Boswell made his third field goal of the game to give the Steelers a touchdown lead.
The Ravens’ final offensive push ended when T.J. Watt completed a sack on Lamar Jackson with 15 seconds left.
Jackson finished the game with 22 completions on 38 attempts for 236 yards and a late interception. The quarterback also ran for 45 yards with the ball.
Jackson is 2-4 in his career against the Steelers.
Justice Hill ran 14 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, but also lost the ball in the second, allowing Boswell’s 43-yard field goal.
Pickett completed 18 of 32 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown. Pickens caught six balls, for 130 yards and a touchdown.
The Steelers are tied for the top spot in the AFC North Division.
The Ravens will face the Titans in Tennessee next Sunday. For their part, the Steelers will benefit from a week of rest.
Jalen Hurts had 303 passing yards and 72 rushing yards as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Los Angeles Rams 23-14 on Sunday to remain undefeated.
Dallas Goedert had eight catches for 117 yards, scoring an early touchdown for the Eagles, who are perfect after five games for the second year in a row.
A. J. Brown had six catches for 117 yards, but the Eagles were unable to reach the end zone in the second half, having to rely on their defensive unit to shut out the Rams (2-3) after halftime.
Cooper Kupp had six catches for 118 yards for the Rams, who have lost three of their last four games despite keeping the score close against three Super Bowl contenders.
Kupp advanced the ball 56 yards in five plays on the Rams’ first offensive drive, but the Rams’ offense faded afterward.
Named offensive player of the year in 2021, Kupp played his first match this season. He had not played since November 2022, missing the last eight games of the last campaign due to an ankle injury. This year, he was dealing with a thigh injury.
Matthew Stafford totaled 222 yards through the air, finding Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua for majors. His unit, however, failed to cross the middle of the field in the second half. Nacua finished the game with seven catches and 71 yards.
The Eagles earned another victory marked by several successful short plays, but they failed to score 25 points for the first time this season despite 454 total yards.
The Eagles converted 13 of 18 third downs after struggling in that regard last week. They also settled for field goals from Jake Elliott in separate stretches of 17, 15 and 10 plays.
The Eagles defense held up while the offensive unit missed a few opportunities. Jalen Carter and Haason Reddick both had two sacks.
