Heinicke’s One Game Wonder: Why Washington Should Re-sign Taylor Heinicke
A month before his eighth NFL game in three years, quarterback Taylor Heinicke focused on finishing his engineering degree at Old Dominion over his professional football career. Since going undrafted in 2015, Heinke has shuffled around three NFL teams. However, due to players out with injuries, the Washington Football Team gave their practice player a chance and subbed him in during a loss against the North Carolina Panthers in Week 16. That game, he threw for a modest twelve completions for 137 yards and one touchdown. However, the stats do not show that he was subbed in the 4th quarter as his team trailed by 14 points. If the Carolina defense had not sacked Heinicke on a third down, he likely would have led Washington to a win. In that game, Heinicke showed he deserved a place on an NFL roster and can provide value to a team as a quarterback.
In the wild-card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' top 10 NFL defense, Heinicke threw an impressive two touchdowns, 26 completions, 306 yards in a 31-23 loss. Heinicke may have even had an even better statistical performance with over 400 yards if not for his lackluster receiving core, who carelessly dropped five passes. In the 2020 season, Terry McLaurin ended with 1,118 yards while the next receiver recorded a subpar 477 yards. Terry McLaurin was the only good receiver on the team, and Heickne did not have much help, further demonstrating how impressive his numbers were.
When Heinicke was on the field, he looked like a seasoned professional dueling one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, Tom Brady. He made quick and effective zone coverage reads and accurate throws with almost no mistakes. He threw from the pocket, and he threw on the run. When the pocket collapsed, he ducked and dodged linebackers to pick up the first down with his legs. His dynamic style of play resulted in an impressive performance.
Heinicke also possesses tangible qualities. He is resilient, a trait he showcased when he suffered a separated shoulder injury while diving for a touchdown. After he went into the locker room, he soon returned with just tape underneath his pads. From there, Heinicke led the team down the field and threw a beautiful ball into the corner of the end zone, cutting Tampa Bay’s lead to just five. At the end of the game, he received praise from McLaurin, one of the most talented players on Washington's roster, who approached Heinicke and said, “You’ve got my respect bro, You tough as sh*t bro.”
Even though he has only had a couple of decent performances, Washington should look to re-sign him for another season to get a better look at his abilities. Next season, Kyle Allen and Alex Smith will be back to compete with Heinicke for the starting QB spot. Washington may also draft another QB, who would likely be Kyle Trask or Mac Jones. Heinicke thrives in high-pressure situations, a situation that Washington can create next year with some signings. With Heinicke's potential to be an unlikely star challenged by competition next season, the Washington Football Team can look to gain success with a core of talented quarterbacks, all qualified for the starting job.
