Last week, Desmond Ridder was forced out of the Atlanta Falcons’ 28-23 loss to the Tennessee Titans after suffering a concussion in the third quarter of play. Backup QB Taylor Heinicke came in to relieve Ridder and completed 12-of-21 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown.
After the game was over, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith explained that Ridder’s departure was not performance-related and instead due to dealing with concussion symptoms. Yet, the team also announced that they’d have an update on the starting QB for their upcoming Week 9 matchup against Minnesota at a later date.
On Wednesday, the Falcons provided that update, noting a significant change to the starting lineup, but only for this week, with Coach Smith revealing it would be Heinicke under center against the Vikings instead of Ridder.
Having more turnovers (12) than touchdowns (9) so far this season, it makes sense to see what another QB can do, especially if Ridder is still dealing with any lingering concussion symptoms. The Falcons also have Logan Woodside as the third QB on the roster.
Heinicke has made 25 starts in the NFL, including 24 with the Washington Commanders from 2021-22, where he led a 12-11 record while completing 64 percent of his passes. He’s a high-level backup, but the Falcons are ready to see if he can provide a spark for the 28th-ranked scoring offense entering Week 9.
Related: See where Desmond Ridder landed in Sportsnaut’s NFL QB rankings