2 QBs who should be benched for good after Week 15, 1 who should stay a starter

1. Falcons can't persist with Desmond Ridder

The Chargers may have had the most embarrassing result of the week on Thursday Night Football, but the Falcons gave them a run for their money on Sunday with a 9-7 loss to the Panthers.

Atlanta is in the mix for the NFC South and the NFC Wild Card. The game against then-one-win Carolina should have been an easy way to get to .500 and keep pace with the Bucs and Saints, who both won to improve to 7-7.

Instead, the Falcons lost courtesy of one of the worst interceptions you'll ever see.

The Falcons led 7-6 in the fourth quarter and they were in field goal range when Ridder threw that monstrosity. A kick alone would have given them a four-point lead. They ended up giving up a field goal going the other way to lose.

Ridder hasn't given the Atlanta offense much juice this season. Their hopes of making the postseason took a real hit with the loss to the Panthers and that should prompt Arthur Smith to turn the offense over to Taylor Heinicke.

After the game Smith was asked if Ridder will remain the starter.

"That's been the plan, but there's been a lot of things -- nothing's ever set in stone. You got to evaluate and adapt," Smith said.

The evaluation and adaptation should be to go with Heinicke because Ridder certainly isn't getting the Falcons to the postseason.