Falcons’ Taylor Heinicke Makes Bold Statement Before Week 9

Taylor Heinicke is replacing Desmond Ridder as the Atlanta Falcons‘ starting quarterback for the team’s Week 9 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, and Heinicke seems up for the challenge.

“Obviously it’s a new team, it’s a new offense I’ve been learning since OTAs and a bunch of new guys,” Heinicke said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “It’s the cadence, different play actions and everything’s different, it’s all the hard work I’ve been doing since OTAs to feel comfortable with this to lead up to this moment. It’s definitely different from other times but I’m excited for the opportunity.”

Heinicke relieved Ridder this past weekend when Ridder left the Falcons’ loss to the Tennessee Titans to be evaluated for a concussion. Ridder cleared concussion protocol, but Heinicke played out the rest of the afternoon. Head coach Arthur Smith then made the decision to roll with Heinicke for this Sunday.

Heinicke added that he thinks Smith wants him to simply take care of “the basic things for a quarterback.”

The 30-year-old is no stranger to taking snaps under center, as he made 24 starts for the Washington Commanders between 2021 and 2022 and also started a game for the Carolina Panthers back in 2018.

“Protect the ball, get the first downs, we get down in the red zone score touchdowns,” Heinicke said of what is expected of him. “Don’t take unnecessary sacks, get the ball out of your hand, let those playmakers do their thing. The good quarterbacks in the NFL they do that, they get the ball out of their hands, let their playmakers — that’s why they get paid right? Get the ball out of their hands and don’t get hit. It’s easy to say but let’s go out there and do it.”

Taylor Heinicke went 12-for-21 with 175 yards and a touchdown last week.

Over the course of his NFL career, he has gone 12-12-1 as a starter and has amassed a total of 35 touchdowns and 24 interceptions.

Atlanta is 4-4 and is currently locked in a tie with the New Orleans Saints for first place in the NFC South.