Following Taylor Heinicke’s injury and the team’s upcoming bye week, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith declined to announce a starting quarterback.
The Atlanta Falcons must make a decision as they enter their bye week following a 25-23 setback to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. Just two weeks after benching then-starting quarterback and second-year pro Desmond Ridder in favor of veteran Taylor Heinicke, who was injured on Sunday, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was asked on Monday if it was premature to name a starting quarterback right now, according to Terrin Waack of the team’s website.
Arthur Smith mum on Falcons’ starting QB
“We’re on bye week, so take some time, take a step back, and look at everything.” Yes, a little early. Obviously, both of those men have done some wonderful things, and some of the things we need to evaluate.”
Smith is not ready to identify a starting quarterback as the Falcons prepare for their bye week, telling reporters that the club has to “assess.”
One of those factors will be Heinicke’s performance as the starting quarterback, as the veteran has passed for 443 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in two starts, all of which were lost in the closing seconds by the Atlanta defense. Heinicke’s injury will be another of those things.
Heinicke has ‘low grade’ hamstring injury
Heinicke has a “low grade” hamstring issue, according to Smith. The Falcons quarterback was hurt while scrambling for eight yards in the fourth quarter. He instantly grasped his leg and fell before being withdrawn from the competition and replaced by Ridder.
The Falcons’ bye week comes at a good time for Heinicke, who will have more time to recuperate from his injury, though it’s still unknown whether he’ll miss any games as a result of it. If that happens, Ridder will return to the starting lineup.
Ridder, who started the season for the Falcons, threw for 1,740 yards, six touchdowns, six interceptions, and seven fumbles.
Turnovers were an issue for the second-year quarterback, particularly in October games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Washington Commanders, against whom he threw two and three interceptions, respectively.
Smith did not bench Ridder following either of those games, but he saw enough during his team’s Week 8 loss to the Tennessee Titans to withdraw Ridder in the first half.
The question now is whether Smith has seen enough of Heinicke to return to Ridder, if Heinicke is healthy.
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