Heinicke’s heroics on full display during TNF

Most people start their weeks on Monday. However, a hardcore NFL fan’s week starts with Thursday night football.

This week on Thursday night football, we were treated to an electrifying matchup between two of the most dysfunctional organizations in football. The game between the Giants and the Washington Football Team (yes, they still don’t have a mascot) was one most people would skip if it were an average Sunday game.

Both teams have struggled in the past few years, with problems moving top down for Washington. Serious allegations against Washingtons’s owner, Dan Snyder, plagued the team in the offseason. In addition, the team was under heavy pressure to change their team name and come up with a new moniker. The organization succeeded in the first part but is still attempting to find a new nickname before the 2022 campaign.

Dysfunction followed Washington into the 2021 season opener when the team lost their starting quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, to a hip sublaxation after throwing for just 13 yards. This forced fifth year quarterback Taylor Heinicke to take the reigns of the shambled organization.

Heinicke signed as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings after the 2015 draft. The young journeyman quarterback spent time with the Patriots, Texans, Panthers and an XFL team before finally finding a home in Washington.

The Old Dominion product was a lightning rod for Washington during their 2020 playoff game where he mounted a valiant attempt to send the future Super Bowl champion Buccaneers home early. Heinicke took this momentum into the 2021 season when he came in for an injured Fitzpatrick and earned the start this last Thursday with an opportunity to show why he can become the next great story in the NFL.

Heinicke showed excellent poise in the Thursday night win, throwing a beautiful 19-yard dart to the corner of the endzone where he found tight end Ricky Seals-Jones. The highlight play brought Washington to a one-point lead with only 4:34 left in the game. After forcing a key stop directly after, Washington needed to control the ball for the remaining three minutes left in the game. However, on second and seven, Heinicke stared down a slant route, leading to a bad pick that looked to seal the game for the Giants.

The staunch Football Team defense came up big, holding the poor Giants offense to a field goal after starting on Washington’s own 20-yard line. Heinicke then shook off his bad interception to lead the Football Team down the field for a game winning field goal.

This Thursday night game was anything but perfect football, however, Heinicke showcased his ability to forget about the bad and lead his team to an important in-division win. In addition, Heinicke has been praised by teammates and talking heads for his willingness to trust his receivers and make plays for this playoff-caliber team. I love the Football Team’s odds at winning the division, but it rests on Heinicke’s shoulders.