Washington Football Team studs and duds from Week 16 loss vs. Panthers
By Ian Cummings
Stud No. 1 – QB Taylor Heinicke
No, you’re not just a massive homer (Well, you might still be anyway, but that’s not the point): Taylor Heinicke looked good for the Washington Football Team on Sunday afternoon.
He didn’t just look good relative to Dwayne Haskins, either. Heinicke was legitimately good in his short stint as Washington’s quarterback. Heinicke made progressions downfield, showed excellent awareness in the pocket, displayed the mobility and feel to scramble and take easy gains when big plays weren’t there. He even made some nice throws, in spite of average arm strength.
Heinicke finished his day with 12 completions on 19 attempts, 137 yards, and a touchdown pass to J.D. McKissic. His perceived efficiency wasn’t just a mirage; on Week 16’s quarterback efficiency chart — which graphs a quarterback’s composite EPA per play and completion percentage above expected — Heinicke was one of 14 quarterbacks in the top right quadrant, and he was also ninth among quarterbacks in EPA per play.
It’s worth noting that the Panthers’ defense hadn’t prepared for Heinicke all week, but Heinicke still unexpectedly played in a high-pressure spot, and flourished. If Alex Smith isn’t 100% next week, starting Heinicke seems like the easiest decision. One could argue he gives the team the best chance to win, were he to keep performing like he did in Week 16.