Falcons sticking with Taylor Heinicke as QB against Cardinals

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons prioritize consistency in their quarterback room, at least for another week.

Falcons coach Arthur Smith confirmed on Monday that Taylor Heinicke, who made his first start in Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, will continue as the starter when Atlanta faces the Arizona Cardinals this week.

“We’ll stick with Taylor this week,” Smith said. “And we’ll reassess the situation during the bye week.”

This decision comes after Smith stated last week that the team was taking a short-term approach, evaluating their quarterback situation on a week-by-week basis, considering both Heinicke and the previous starter, Desmond Ridder.

Smith clarified that the Falcons do not intend to implement a rotation of quarterbacks or a two-quarterback system for the remainder of the season. Instead, they will utilize the bye week in Week 11 to evaluate their strategy going forward.

“That’s where we stand considering the circumstances,” Smith explained. “The bye week will provide us with an opportunity to assess. After that, we won’t continue to make such week-to-week decisions. However, our primary focus this week is to secure a win in Arizona.”

Ridder served as the backup quarterback on Sunday, observing Heinicke as he completed 55.3% of his passes for 268 yards, one touchdown, and an interception in the Falcons’ 31-28 loss to the Vikings. Over the past six quarters, Heinicke has completed 55.9% of his passes for 443 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception as Atlanta’s quarterback.

While Ridder offers a different skill set, Heinicke has contributed to the offense’s increased scoring output. The Falcons registered a season-high 28 points against Minnesota and notched 20 points in the second half against the Tennessee Titans in the previous week. Prior to these games, Atlanta had surpassed 20 points only once in the last five matches — a victory over the Houston Texans on October 8.

“After carefully evaluating our situation and considering the overall circumstances, we believe it’s currently in the best interest of our team to continue with Taylor,” Smith declared. “This doesn’t mean the end for Des, but our focus right now is on securing a win in Arizona.”

Throughout his career, Heinicke has completed 63.3% of his passes for 6,188 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions, having played for the Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders, and now the Atlanta Falcons.