The Falcons aren’t dead yet.
It felt like they might be when they lost to the Panthers in Week 15, but things look a little brighter after Sunday’s home game against the Colts. Taylor Heinicke threw for a touchdown, Tyler Allgeier ran for another and the Falcons defense sacked Gardner Minshew six times in a 29-10 win.
The win moves them to 7-8 on the season. That’s the same mark as the Saints, who they play in Week 18, and it would be the same mark as the Bucs if they lose to the Jaguars in the late window on Sunday. The Falcons split with the Bucs, but the Saints and Buccaneers play each other in Week 17 so there is still plenty to play out in the race for the NFC South title.
Heinicke was installed as the starter over Desmond Ridder this week and he went 23-of-33 for 229 yards in his return to the lineup. He threw his touchdown to tight end Kyle Pitts, but running back Bijan Robinson was his favorite target. Robinson had seven catches for 50 yards and he ran 12 times for 72 yards days after the team and head coach Arthur Smith were fined for failing to report his illness before the team’s Week Seven win over the Bucs.
Smith said that the plan is to start Heinicke for the remainder of the season and Sunday’s performance won’t change that. The Colts probably won’t be making a quarterback change either, but they will need Gardner Minshew to have a better day against the Raiders in Week 17.
Minshew led a 75-yard touchdown drive to open the game, but Colts only managed 58 yards for the rest of the half and a Minshew interception ended the only fourth quarter drive that didn’t end with a failed fourth down or time expiring. The return of running back Jonathan Taylor resulted in an early touchdown, but absence of wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. might have been a bigger deal as the Colts offense failed to find momentum for the majority of the afternoon.
They’ll hope to get him back against Vegas, but, even with a win next week, the path to the playoffs is more difficult for the 8-7 Colts thanks to Sunday’s flop in Atlanta.