Made in 2006, the video is about pollution, environmental destruction, and animal rights. The accompanying music video was directed by Kevin Kerslake. Heisel in particular said the song was "guaranteed to start circle pits wherever played".
Scott Heisel of Alternative Press and Corey Apar of AllMusic noted how "Ready to Fall" emulated Rise Against's older style of music. Davey Boy of Sputnikmusic further praised the song for its controlled verses and intense bridge. "Ready to Fall" received positive reviews from critics, several of whom described the chorus as "compelling". Commercially, "Ready to Fall" peaked at number thirteen on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, the bands' highest charting single at the time. It was released as a CD and 7" single the B-side features a live performance of "State of the Union", take from the album Siren Song of the Counter Culture. "Ready to Fall" was released on May 30, as the first single from The Sufferer & The Witness. The vocals and instrumentation are noticeably heavier than most of the songs on the album. "Ready to Fall" features a complex song structure, with controlled verses that lead into an intense chorus and screaming vocals, while a continuous bassline plays in the background. We haven't 'grown or matured' as such, we've just really executed what we've been trying to nail with the last few records." Like most of the songs from The Sufferer & The Witness, "Ready to Fall" is characterized as hardcore punk and melodic hardcore. McIlrath commented: "It's definitely more of a punk rock record. "Ready to Fall" was the first single from The Sufferer & The Witness, Rise Against's follow-up to its 2004 breakthrough album Siren Song of the Counter Culture For The Sufferer & the Witness, Rise Against's members sought to return to their punk roots.