Calvin Ridley was overlooked for the Pro Bowl, but he has quietly put together an outstanding season and probably deserves more attention than he gets. Fans, coaches and his fellow players may not give him enough credit, but the Atlanta Falcons star is clearly not afraid to defend his own honor.
Fantasy football analyst Matthew Freedman tweeted some stats on Wednesday comparing Ridley to Carolina Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore. He was complimenting both players but said he feels “Moore might be better.” Ridley had a very straightforward reply.
No
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) December 24, 2020
You can understand why Ridley shot down the comparison, but it wasn’t exactly insulting. Ridley and Moore were selected two picks apart in the first round of the 2018 draft, and both have established themselves as great NFL receivers.
Ridley has 1,119 receiving yards this season, marking the first time he has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark. Moore also has over 1,000 yards this year and finished with 1,175 last year. Ridley has a clear edge when it comes to scoring, as he has 26 touchdown receptions in three seasons compared to Moore’s 10.
Arguments could also be made that Ridley has gotten more consistent quarterback play from Matt Ryan in Atlanta than Moore has gotten in Carolina. Then there’s the fact that Ridley is the No. 2 receiver on his team behind Julio Jones, so he benefits from Jones commanding double-coverage.
However you want to lay it out, you can’t go wrong with either Ridley or Moore at this point in their respective careers. They both probably feel they are a better player than the other, and that’s the mentality they should have.
