The Falcons made a starting quarterback change in Week Nine and they could make another one in Week 10.
Taylor Heinicke got the start for Sunday’s game against the Vikings after playing the second half of the team’s Week Eight loss to the Titans and he went 21-of-38 for 268 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. That was part of an offensive effort that had the Falcons up 28-24 with two minutes to play in the game, but the Vikings rallied behind their new quarterback Josh Dobbs and pulled out a 31-28 road win.
After the loss was in the books, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was asked if he was going to name Heinicke the starter for the Falcons’ Week 10 game against the Cardinals.
“Not right now,” Smith said, via the team’s website. “We have to get back to evaluate. I’m not going to give some answer when we haven’t sat back and looked at everything.”
Heinicke’s interception came one play after the Vikings tied the game in the third quarter and the Falcons only scored one touchdown in seven trips to Minnesota’s side of the field. Those were similar problems to the ones that hurt the offense with Desmond Ridder at quarterback and that shouldn’t make Smith’s ultimate choice about how to proceed any easier.