Taylor Heinicke Provides Christmas Eve Spark in Falcons' Offensive Revival
It ain't over till it's over, or so they say.
The Atlanta Falcons still have some breath in their playoff lungs after taking down the Indianapolis Colts 29-10 on Christmas Eve, and a large credit for that performance comes from the (again) newly-christened quarterback Taylor Heinicke.
The NFL veteran was given the reins to the Falcons offense again this week after a string of disheartening performances from previous starter Desmond Ridder, and the move seemed to pay off as Heinicke threw for 229 yards and a score en route to the much-needed win. His supporting cast showed up too, namely running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier who combined for over 100 yards rushing and a score.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke (4) looks to pass against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
This begs the question: was today's offensive performance a credit to Heinicke, or was it a mere coincidence?
At this level of football, it's hard to argue in favor of coincidences very often. A veteran like Heinicke has seen plenty of ball in his day, and a quarterback change, when executed properly, can provide a spark to a previously-stagnant offense, even if the new signal caller isn't perceived as an elite NFL arm.
The argument can certainly be made in that regard to Heinicke's performance on Sunday. Throwing for over 200 yards and a touchdown is impressive in its own right after riding the bench for multiple weeks, but the Falcons as a whole seemed to execute at a higher level in a game they simply had to win in order to keep postseason hopes alive.
The NFL is a quarterback-driven league, especially when a generational talent is calling the shots. It would be unfair to say Taylor Heinicke falls into that category, but any upgrade at the quarterback position can pay dividends, and that means Atlanta's playoff hopes survive for another week as the regular season winds down.
