Commanders’ Taylor Heinicke awful start continues with pick-six vs Packers

Typically when a team is forced to start its backup quarterback, panic ensues amongst fans. The feeling was different for Washington Commanders fans when it was confirmed Carson Wentz would miss 4-6 weeks (he’s since been placed on IR) following finger surgery and Taylor Heinicke was named the starter.

While nobody would argue Heinicke has Wentz’s arm talent, the backup’s familiarity with the playbook and receivers coupled with Wentz’s inconsistent start to the season had fans and analysts wondering if the offense would be more potent and explosive with the beloved underdog under center.

If the opening quarter against the Packers was any indication though, Heinicke is either still shaking off the rust from being on the bench all season or fans were premature in thinking he’d jumpstart a stagnant offense.

As if going 0-for-4 wasn’t worrying enough, the quarterback could’ve been intercepted on at least three of those attempts.

The first came dangerously close to being a pick-six.

Commanders’ Taylor Heinicke throws ugly pick-six vs Packers.

Curtis Samuel should’ve caught this, but this was just the start of a string of dangerous throws from Heinicke. On his second throw, Heinicke threw a floater off his back foot from Washington’s end zone (always a recipe for disaster) and got lucky Terry Mclaurin played defense to knock the ball away.

That ball should’ve landed 10 yards out of bounds. Instead, Heinicke needed his receiver to bail him out of an ugly turnover in his own red zone.

On his third throw, Heinicke tempted fate again by throwing behind McLaurin. Somehow, the Packers defensive back didn’t pick it off.

It felt like a matter of time until the Packers capitalized on an errant throw and linebacker D’Vondre Campbell did just that early in the second quarter. On a 3rd and 5, Heinicke tried to fit a ball into tight coverage, Campbell jumped the route and took it 39 yards to the house to give Green Bay a 14-3 advantage.

We wrote earlier in the week that Heinicke should be on a short leash and this is exactly why. It’s unlikely the Commanders turn to Sam Howell in Game 1 without Wentz but we wouldn’t rule anything out given how rusty Heinicke looks.

So much for QB2 providing that spark. So far, the offense looks markedly worse than it did with Wentz running the show, which says a lot.