Regardless of whether or not Taylor Heinicke plays again this season, it was clear that his presence sparked the Falcons offense in the second half of Sunday’s 28-23 loss to the Titans.
Quarterback Desmond Ridder apparently suffered a head injury shortly after committing his league-leading 12th turnover late in the first half and did not return to the game.
Heinicke passed for 175 yards and a touchdown in relief, nearly leading the team to a comeback win. Despite his impressive performance, the veteran QB said he doesn’t believe he’s earned the starting job.
“No, this is Desmond’s team,” said Heinicke when asked about his job status, per The Athletic’s Josh Kendall.
Taylor Heinicke says he doesn't believe he's earned the starting job: "No, this is Desmond’s team.
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) October 29, 2023
After the game, head coach Arthur Smith said the team was still high on Ridder. “We’ve got a lot of confidence in Des,” explained Smith. ” We didn’t take him out for performance issues.”
If Ridder continues to turn the ball over, fans will call for Heinicke. That’s just the nature of playing the quarterback position.
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