Tag: Taylor Heinicke

Arthur Smith says Falcons haven’t decided on starting QB

Head coach Arthur Smith said the Falcons are still deciding on a starting QB for Week 16

The Atlanta Falcons were defeated on a last-second field goal by the Carolina Panthers in Week 15. Even with a potential playoff spot on the line, this team can’t seem to get out of its own way.

On Sunday, the Falcons had a one-point lead and the ball in the fourth quarter when quarterback Desmond Ridder made one of his most ill-advised throws of the season. Ridder forced a ball into coverage that was intercepted and the Panthers drove down for the game-winning kick as time expired.

Head coach Arthur Smith was asked whether or not the team would make a quarterback change heading into Week 16 and did not have a clear answer. According to Smith, the Falcons are still working through the decision, per team reporter Tori McElhaney.

Ridder started the first eight games before getting benched for backup Taylor Heincike. After injuring his hamstring at the end of the team’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Ridder got his job back. It sounds like Heinicke could take over again, even though Smith has previously stated he did not want to play musical chairs at the QB position.

Watch Smith’s comments on the quarterback situation, as shared by ESPN’s Michael Rothstein below.

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Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke is active vs. Saints

Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke is officially active for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints

The Atlanta Falcons listed quarterback Taylor Heinicke as questionable on the team’s final Week 12 injury report, but he’s officially active for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.

With Heinicke active, Logan Woodside will serve as the team’s emergency third quarterback. Head coach Arthur Smith named Desmond Ridder the starting QB for the rest of the season, but Heinicke is still a valuable backup.

The Falcons will also be without wide receiver Mack Hollins, who will his second consecutive game due to an ankle injury. Look for KhaDarel Hodge to step up with Hollins sidelined in Week 12.

Sunday’s game kicks off at 1:00 p.m. ET from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Pick the winner of this Week 12 matchup in our Falcons fan poll below.

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Falcons list inactives for Week 12 game vs. Saints

The Falcons have listed their inactives for Sunday’s game against the Saints

The Atlanta Falcons have released their inactives list for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. Seven players have been ruled out for Week 12, including wide receiver Mack Hollins and rookie cornerback Clark Phillips III.

Quarterback Taylor Heinicke (hamstring) is officially active after being listed as questionable on the team’s Friday injury report. Check out the Falcons’ full inactives list for Week 12 below.

When they last met: Commanders and Cowboys

They last met in January and the Commanders won, 26-6, in Sam Howell’s first NFL start.

“When they last met” is an ongoing series during the NFL season, recalling the preceding game between Washington and the next opponent on the Commanders’ schedule.

Washington 26, Dallas 6 – Week 18, January 8, 2023

Sam Howell’s first NFL pass was a 16-yard touchdown to Terry McLaurin, and the Commanders proceeded to handily defeat the Dallas Cowboys 26-6 at FedEx Field in Landover.

Howell saw his first NFL action and made his first start because quarterback Taylor Heinicke apparently made it clear to head coach Ron Rivera that the wisest move to make was to start Heinicke.

Originally during the week, Rivera had announced Heinicke would again start, and Sam Howell would also see his first NFL action. Whatever Heinicke said, Rivera changed his mind, giving Howell the nod.

Kendall Fuller intercepted Dak Prescott, and his 29-yard return for a touchdown gave the Commanders a 13-0 second-quarter lead.

Leading 13-6 in the third quarter, Howell scored from 9 yards out, and the Washington lead was extended to 20-6.

In the final quarter, kicker Joey Slye added two field goals of 29 and 22 yards, providing the final score of 26-6.

With a 12-4 record, compared to the Commanders 7-8-1, the Cowboys were a strong road-team favorite by -7 points.

But the Cowboys seemed largely disinterested and did not play with much emotion at all, watching the scoreboard, seeing the Eagles were wrapping up the division with their final win over the Giants.

Washington out-rushed the Cowboys 151-64, and Howell completed 11 of his 19 attempts for 169 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Jaret Patterson led Washington runners with 78 yards on his 17 carries. McLaurin and Jahan Dotson both had three receptions for 74 and 72 yards, respectively.

Following the game, Rivera communicated to his wife on the way home that he previously had no idea Howell could be that good so quickly. Sure enough, in the offseason, Rivera wasted no time talking up Howell as Washington’s QB1.

Falcons Week 12 injury report: Younghoe Koo, Calais Campbell DNP

Falcons Week 12 injury report: Younghoe Koo and Calais Campbell did not participate on Wednesday

The Atlanta Falcons (4-6) have released their first injury report ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the New Orleans Saints (5-5) and there was one surprise name.

Kicker Younghoe Koo was held out due to a back injury. Quarterback Taylor Heinicke (hamstring) and wide receiver Mack Hollins (ankle) returned but were limited participants.

Defensive lineman Calais Campbell was given a rest day and David Onyemata was limited due to an ankle injury. Have a look at the team’s full Wednesday injury report below.

Player Injury Wed Thu Fri Status
Calais Campbell Rest DNP   —
Younghoe Koo Back DNP LP
David Onyemata Ankle LP LP
Mack Hollins Ankle LP DNP
Dee Alford Ankle LP LP
Taylor Heinicke Hamstring LP LP

Check out the Falcons’ updated depth chart and our latest six-round mock draft heading into Week 12.

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Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke, WR Mack Hollins return to practice

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith says WR Mack Hollins and QB Taylor Heinicke will return to practice on Wednesday

Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke and wide receiver Mack Hollins are both set to return to practice, head coach Arthur Smith told reporters on Wednesday afternoon.

Heinicke injured his hamstring during the team’s Week 10 loss to the Cardinals. Hollins missed the game due to an ankle injury. Smith noted that both players would be limited on Wednesday, per ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.

If healthy, Heinicke will return to his backup quarterback role after starting the previous two games in place of Desmond Ridder. Smith named Ridder as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season on Monday.

Make sure to check out the team’s updated depth chart and our latest six-round mock draft heading into Week 12.

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Derek Carr still in concussion protocol after bye week, says Dennis Allen

Derek Carr is still in concussion protocol after the bye week, says New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen:

Here’s something to monitor: New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is still in concussion protocol coming out of the bye week, head coach Dennis Allen said Monday, Nov. 20. It remains to be seen whether Carr will clear protocol in time to suit up for their upcoming game with the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 26.

But it’s not too unusual for Carr to start the week of game prep while in the concussion protocol. Most players need a week or two to recover after these brain injuries. The Saints won’t practice as a team until Wednesday and he has time to heal up and receive the green light to play by Sunday’s game. At the same time, it’s possible he’ll have to miss more time. The player’s health takes priority here.

If Carr can’t go, Jameis Winston would likely get the starting nod with Taysom Hill and Jake Haener backing him up. Atlanta has already named Desmond Ridder their starting quarterback after benching him in favor of Taylor Heinicke for a few weeks. Stay tuned for updates on Carr’s status throughout the week.

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Falcons head coach Arthur Smith names Desmond Ridder starting QB

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith officially named Desmond Ridder the starting QB going into Week 12

The Atlanta Falcons are officially rolling with Desmond Ridder as their starting quarterback in Week 12, head coach Arthur Smith told reporters on Monday afternoon.

According to Smith, the team used the bye week to evaluate the quarterback situation and landed on Ridder. Watch Smith’s explanation below, as shared by the team’s Twitter account.

Ridder has started eight games this season, passing for 1,740 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions while going 4-4. Heinicke has passed for 498 yards, three touchdowns and one interception while going 0-2.

Ridder replaced an injured Heinicke in the fourth quarter of last weekend’s game against Arizona, completing four or six passes for 39 yards and rushing for the go-ahead score.

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Falcons return to Desmond Ridder as their starting QB vs. Saints next week

Desmond Ridder is back in the Falcons’ starting lineup. After sitting two games, he’ll be their starting quarterback against the Saints in Week 12:

The Atlanta Falcons have decided Desmond Ridder will be the starting quarterback going forward, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. This takes away the mystery of who the New Orleans Saints need to prepare for in next week’s pivotal NFC South showdown. Both teams have a bye week in Week 11, so they have an extra week to rest.

Ridder started the season under center and remained there until he was sidelined by a concussion in Week 8. Taylor Heinicke finished that game and started the next two weeks. When Heinicke suffered a hamstring injury, Ridder came in to finish the game, and he has now reclaimed his starting position.

His first game back in the starting lineup will be versus New Orleans. Last time Ridder played the Saints was the first start of his career — Atlanta lost that game 21-18 with Ridder going 13-of-26 for just 97 passing yards, taking four sacks, and rushing 6 times for 38 yards. This season he’s 4-4 as a starter while throwing 6 touchdown passes against 6 interceptions, having rushed for 150 yards and 4 touchdown runs. He’s also fumbled 7 times.

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Poll Results: Which QB should the Falcons start going forward?

Falcons Fan Poll Results: Which QB should Atlanta start for the rest of the season?

The Atlanta Falcons appear to be keeping head coach Arthur Smith despite their recent struggles, but the team has yet to name a starting quarterback for the rest of the season.

With the Falcons on their bye week, there’s still plenty of time to decide between Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder. We asked our readers to choose the QB they wanted to see start, and Ridder won the poll with 65 percent of the vote.

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