CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Calvin Ridley found himself back in the end zone for the first time since Week 11 and his 75-yard touchdown score tied him with former Falcons tight end Junior Miller for most touchdown receptions in a single-season by a rookie in franchise history with nine on the year.
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"It feels pretty good," Ridley said of tying the record. "I just really want to come out here and help my team any way I can. But when I get those type of plays, it feels good."
His touchdown at the start of the second half set the tone for the rest of the game. Ridley's score put the Falcons ahead for the first time in the game and they never trailed again.
So, what went right for Ridley on the scoring play?
"They thought it was a run and they left me wide open and I made a good play and I finished it," Ridley said.
The past few weeks had been quiet for Ridley after his explosive start to the season. Ridley, like every rookie in the NFL, is still trying to figure out how to navigate his way through the 16-game NFL season.
But Ridley stayed the course and his mentor, Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones, noticed his attitude never steered one way or another.
So what impresses Jones the most about Ridley after almost a full season working together?
His response was simple.
"His work ethic," Jones said. "He continues to keep working. He's going to find his way, he's a young player who has so much [room] to grow. He can do it. At the end of the day, [no one] can hold Cal back but Cal. He can be a great player in the league for a long time."
That he can be and, according to Ridley, as long as he keeps one thing in mind: the sky is the limit for what he can do in his career as a Falcon.
"Just keep my focus," Ridley said. "Don't go get down on myself no matter what. Just come out here and help my team. If I tell myself play for my team, I'm going to play good."
The Falcons face the Carolina Panthers this Sunday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. Get your inside look here.

QB Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

CB Ryan Neal
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

RB Ricky Ortiz
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

P Matt Bosher
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

P Matt Bosher
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

P Matt Bosher
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

DE Steven Means, P Matt Bosher, CB Desmond Trufant
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

DT Grady Jarrett
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

DT Grady Jarrett
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

QB Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

LB Deion Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

RB Tevin Coleman
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

QB Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

WR Julio Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

TE Logan Paulsen
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

DT Grady Jarrett
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

QB Matt Ryan, RB Tevin Coleman
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

DE Brooks Reed
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

DE Brooks Reed
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

RB Tevin Coleman
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

DT Grady Jarrett
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

DT Grady Jarrett
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

CB Brian Poole
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

CB Desmond Trufant
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

WR Julio Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

DE Takk McKinley
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

LB Deion Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

Dan Quinn, head coach, LB Deion Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

S Sharrod Neasman
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

DL Jack Crawford
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

DE Takk McKinley
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

DL Jack Crawford
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

DL Jack Crawford, DT Grady Jarrett
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

RB Tevin Coleman
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

WR Calvin Ridley
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

WR Mohamed Sanu
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

WR Mohamed Sanu, WR Julio Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

WR Mohamed Sanu, QB Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

DE Takk McKinley
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

DE Takk McKinley
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

C Alex Mack
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

Dan Quinn, head coach
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

LB Deion Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

CB Brian Poole
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

CB Brian Poole
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

CB Brian Poole
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

CB Brian Poole, CB Desmond Trufant, LB Deion Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

C Alex Mack
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

RB Brian Hill
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

LB Deion Jones, CB Brian Poole
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

LB Deion Jones, CB Brian Poole
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

WR Julio Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

DE Bruce Irvin
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

DE Bruce Irvin
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

DE Bruce Irvin
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

DE Bruce Irvin
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

DE Bruce Irvin
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

WR Mohamed Sanu, RB Brian Hill
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

LB Foye Oluokun, DT Grady Jarrett, CB Isaiah Oliver
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

Marquand Manuel, defensive coordinator
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

CB Isaiah Oliver, CB Robert Alford
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

S Damontae Kazee, S Sharrod Neasman
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

CB Desmond Trufant
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

QB Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

DE Brooks Reed
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

WR Julio Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

DE Steven Means, DL Jack Crawford, S Sharrod Neasman
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

DT Grady Jarrett
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

WR Mohamed Sanu
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

LB Deion Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

RB Brian Hill
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

DE Steven Means
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

OLB Vic Beasley Jr.
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

S Kemal Ishmael
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

QB Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

RB Brian Hill
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

CB Brian Poole
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

P Matt Bosher
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

CB Isaiah Oliver
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

QB Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

S Damontae Kazee
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

RB Brian Hill
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

TE Austin Hooper
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

DE Takk McKinley
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

S Sharrod Neasman
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

DL Jack Crawford
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

RB Brian Hill
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

K Matt Bryant
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

WR Julio Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

DE Steven Means
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

LB Deion Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

K Matt Bryant
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

DE Takk McKinley
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

P Matt Bosher
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

LB Deion Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

OLB Vic Beasley Jr., CB Desmond Trufant
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

DT Grady Jarrett
Atlanta Falcons / Kara Durrette

TE Austin Hooper
Atlanta Falcons / Lynn Bass

QB Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons / Carmen Mandato

QB Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons / Carmen Mandato

WR Julio Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Carmen Mandato

DT Grady Jarrett
Atlanta Falcons / Michael Benford

CB Brian Poole
Atlanta Falcons / Carmen Mandato

DL Jack Crawford
Atlanta Falcons / Carmen Mandato

LB De'Vondre Campbell
Atlanta Falcons / Carmen Mandato

QB Matt Ryan, WR Mohamed Sanu
Atlanta Falcons / Carmen Mandato

WR Mohamed Sanu
Atlanta Falcons / Carmen Mandato

Jeff Ulbrich, linebackers coach, LB Deion Jones
Atlanta Falcons / Carmen Mandato