WATCH: Calvin Ridley keys Falcons’ first TD of preseason with big kick return, long catch
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The Atlanta Falcons got off to a slow start this preseason, losing to the New York Jets in their debut game. However, on Friday night, they’re off to a much better start.
That fast start is thanks in large part to first-round draft pick Calvin Ridley, a former Alabama star wide receiver.
As you can see in the video below, Ridley takes the opening kickoff (and his first-ever kickoff return) 34 yards to put the Falcons in good field position:
Not bad for the first kick return in Calvin Ridley's career pic.twitter.com/TNcTloEe4q
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 17, 2018
Then, later in the drive, he caught a long bomb from QB Matt Ryan. As you can see, it probably would have been a touchdown if Ryan had hit Ridley in stride. Instead, the Falcons had to settle for a 36-yard gain:
https://twitter.com/SportsGuyTweets/status/1030597742622584833
The Falcons finished off the drive with a touchdown, and now lead the Kansas City Chiefs 7-0 in the first quarter. How much longer Ridley plays remains to be seen.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
