The Washington Commanders offense just feels different with Taylor Heinicke under center.
“You see him as the game progresses, and he’s more and more comfortable,” head coach Ron Rivera said after Washington’s 17-16 win over Indianapolis on Sunday, which saw Heinicke, the 2014 ODU Football alum, throw for 279 yards, a TD and INT, and 98.7 pass-efficiency rating.
The win was the second straight with Heinicke at QB1 since Carson Wentz, signed in the offseason to replace Heinicke, went on injured reserve after undergoing surgery on a fractured finger on his throwing hand.
Wentz was putting up decent counting numbers – 62.1 percent completion rate, 248.2 yards per game, 10 TDs, six INTs, 84.1 pass-efficiency rating – but the Commanders were 2-4 when he went down.
Heinicke is more efficient through the air – 67.2 percent completion rate, 91.9 pass-efficiency rating – and the offense is averaging 363.0 yards per game over its last two, up from the 346.3 yards per game in the six games with Wentz.
The one comparison that jumps off the page: Wentz was sacked 23 times in six games; Heinicke has been sacked three times in his two starts.
“With Taylor, he can keep the plays alive because of his tremendous mobility. More so than anything, he’s got this knack to be able to duck under and stuff like that where a taller quarterback struggles a little bit with that,” Rivera said.
The want-to that it takes to extend plays is obvious to his teammates.
“Like we say all the time, he’s a competitor. He’s going to show up regardless of what’s going on in the game,” tailback Antonio Gibson said. “If he’s having a horrible start — not saying that he had one — but if he’s having a bad drive, he’s going to show up that next play and make it count at the end. That’s all we need.”
Heinicke should be the starter for at least two more games as Wentz finishes up his time on IR.
In all honesty, he should be the guy for the rest of the season, no matter what Wentz’s availability is.
“The more reps you get, the more experience you get, the more comfortable you get,” Heinicke said after the win over the Colts. “That’s not to say I’m very comfortable with where I’m at right now. There’s a lot to improve on. But the more reps you get, the more comfortable you get.”
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Chris Graham
