How Taylor Heinicke has revived Commanders in return as starter: ‘We rally around him’ says Terry McLaurin

Sitting at 2-4 after the 2022 season’s first six weeks, things looked bleak for the Washington Commanders. Their starting quarterback Carson Wentz, who they acquired in multi-pick trade this offseason from the Indianapolis Colts, fractured a finger on his throwing hand in Week 6. However, Taylor Heinicke’s return to the starting role has brought the Commanders back to life with wins in three of his four starts since Week 7, including their 32-21 victory over the previously undefeated Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night that concluded Week 10. Now 5-5, Washington is only half a game behind the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC’s seventh seed, the final wild card spot. 

Washington’s stunning victory to knock off the NFL‘s last perfect team as 11-point underdogs was the second-largest upset win of the season. Only the Carolina Panthers‘ 21-3 defeat of Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a 13-point underdog was more jaw-dropping than what Washington did to Philadelphia on Monday. Heinicke’s savvy sealed the deal, drawing an unnecessary roughness penalty on defensive end Brandon Graham on third-and-seven with 1:45 left in the game. Washington getting another first down drained enough time off the clock to where all the Eagles could do is try lateraling to each other on the game’s final play, which resulted in a fumble recovery touchdown for the Commanders on the game’s final play. 

“Taylor Heinicke is a guy who plays every play like it’s his last, man,” Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin said, via Yahoo Sports. “He gives us a chance to win football games just the way he wills, the way he plays. His toughness, he’s willing to fight for the extra yards. He’s going to give me 50-50 ball chances along with the other skill players. I think we rally around him, honestly. We’re just so lucky to have a guy like that who has taken his opportunity and ran with it since he came with us in Tampa a few years ago. He just gives us a chance to win, and the heart he plays with I feel is infectious. I’m really happy to play with a guy like that because they elevate the guys around them.”

With Wentz eligible to return from injured reserve this week against the Houston Texans, head coach Ron Rivera has a tough decision to make: return to Wentz, the quarterback his front office invested multiple draft picks in, or stick with the hot hand of Heinicke, a player who was clearly won over the locker room…