Calvin Ridley TORCHED All-Pro Xavien Howard During Joint Practice

It's that time of the year, baby. We're three weeks out from the Falcons playing a regular season game and I have allowed myself to foolishly believe they will be a good football team. And this video from Atlanta's joint practice with the Dolphins today did nothing to quell those hopes.

That's Calvin Ridley making All-Pro CB Xavien Howard look like a little bitch as he leaves him five yards in his dust en route to the end zone. That stutter step and separation get sexier every time you watch it.

Ridley was awesome in 2020, totaling 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns on 90 catches. I'm really curious to see what he's able to do without defenses having to key on Julio Jones, but the addition of Kyle Pitts should be the additional threat Atlanta needs to make sure Ridley is still able to get into favorable match-ups. And if he's able to look like that against guys like Howard, nobody in the League is safe in a one-on-one.

Matt Ryan, Ridley, Pitts, Hayden Hurst, Mike Davis and Cordarrelle Patterson could be a pretty lethal group under Arthur Smith if the offensive line is able to be serviceable. And if this new coaching staff spends any time whatsoever on how to protect double-digit leads in the fourth quarter, we might be cooking with gas this season.