Taylor Heinicke, the backup quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, will be taking over as the starting QB in their upcoming game against the Minnesota Vikings, replacing Desmond Ridder. Initially, Ridder was chosen as the Falcons’ top quarterback, but now the reins have been handed over to Heinicke. Throughout this time, Heinicke has always expressed his support for Ridder, emphasizing that it was Ridder’s team.
In his debut appearance for Atlanta, Heinicke stepped in for Ridder, who was being evaluated for concussion symptoms. During this game, Heinicke showcased his skills by throwing for 175 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Ridder has been dealing with some difficulties recently, particularly in terms of turnovers. Over the past three weeks, he has committed a total of seven turnovers, including four lost fumbles in the red zone.
If we take a look at their respective career stats, Heinicke has played in 34 games and has an impressive completion rate of 63.7%. He has passed for a total of 5,920 yards, throwing 35 touchdowns, but also has 24 interceptions to his name. On the other hand, Ridder has completed 64.8% of his passes in his 12 career starts, accumulating 2,409 yards, eight touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Now, with Heinicke taking the helm, the Falcons are hoping that his experience and capabilities will provide a much-needed boost to their offense and help them secure a victory against the Vikings.