MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

Commanders QB Taylor Heinicke 'more comfortable' as he prepares to make return as starter

Taylor Heinicke has been here before.

When Ryan Fitzpatrick went down with a hip injury in Week 1 of the 2021 season, it wasn't long before the Washington Commanders -- still known as the Football Team then -- became Heinicke's team. Heinicke started 15 of Washington's 17 games, going 7-8 as a starter and posting a respectable passing line that included a completion percentage of 65 for 3,419 yards and a 20-15 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Still, that wasn't enough to convince Ron Rivera and the newly renamed Commanders that he could be their guy going forward, leading Washington to acquire Carson Wentz in the offseason. Now that Wentz -- who wasn't playing great football in his first six weeks with Washington -- is out due to a fractured finger, Heinicke is back in the driver's seat, starting this Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

This time around, he knows what to expect.

"I feel a lot more comfortable, a lot more confident," Heinicke said Wednesday, via ESPN. "I was a little overwhelmed last year; it was my first time starting 15 games and it gets to you a little bit."

It sounds as if Heinicke is getting a second chance to prove his worthiness, but it's truly his third. In 2020, a year that was strange for so much more than just football, Washington encountered its own unexpected twists and turns, inserting Heinicke in the middle of a Week 16 game against Carolina. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown before returning to the bench in favor of Alex Smith. An injury to the eventual Comeback Player of the Year meant Heinicke would be needed in a once-unlikely playoff game against the Buccaneers.

Heinicke thrilled Washington fans, completing 26 of 44 passes for 306 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and a memorable rushing touchdown that required Heinicke to fully lay out for the pylon. The celebration included rookie edge rusher Chase Young pointing at Heinicke's nameplate on the back of his jersey, as if to tell the rest of the world remember his name.


The football world happily obliged, but the struggles of 2021 eventually made them forget. Now, Heinicke has a chance to remind them of who he is with a play style that never comes up short on guts.

"His ability to extend plays is really big for us," Washington receiver Terry McLaurin said. "The heart he plays with, a lot of guys galvanize behind that. You never know what you'll get with Taylor and that's the fun part of it.

"He's a guy who you have confidence in his ability to make plays. It may not be the prettiest or what you're used to every Sunday. ... He's playing like it's backyard football, but playing within himself."

NFL.com

 

Heiniken isn’t as good as it used to be, maybe he should change his name to spacedust.

 

Kenny Pickett will start Sunday night in Miami.

The Steelers announced Friday that the quarterback has cleared concussion protocol. Tight end Pat Freiermuth and cornerback Levi Wallace also cleared protocol.

Pickett being cleared from a concussion suffered in Week 6 was expected after coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday the signal-caller would participate in practice this week. Tomlin said at the time that if the rookie was cleared, he’d start against Miami.

Pickett left in the third quarter of Sunday's victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after suffering a concussion. Mitchell Trubisky took over.

The only quarterback selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft will try to keep the 2-4 Steelers in the AFC North race against the Dolphins.

NFL.com

 

Russell Wilson out, Brett Rypien to start for Broncos



Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson will not play on Sunday against the Jets.

Wilson, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, has been ruled out, according to multiple reports.



Brett Rypien will start for the Broncos. It’s the second start of his career, and the first start, a win, was also against the Jets.

Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett had previously indicated he would decide on Sunday whether to start Wilson or Rypien, but Wilson has apparently been struggling enough with the injury that the decision was made a day early.

The 2-4 Broncos have been one of the NFL’s most disappointing teams this season, and now they’ll hope their backup quarterback can give them a spark against the 4-2 Jets.

PFT

 

Jets are loving this!

 

Russell Wilson and the Broncos so far its been a disaster it's not working out

 

Russell has not been healthy most of the season. He should have been sat sooner so that he would get healthy. Until then it's going to continue to be a mess.

 

Hamstring is partially torn...

 

Steve Wilks: I see no reason not to start P.J. Walker again



Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks said after Sunday’s win over the Buccaneers that it will be hard to pull quarterback P.J. Walker out of the lineup and it doesn’t look like anyone’s going to try to do it this week.

Wilks called Walker’s performance “very impressive” in a conversation with PFT on Sunday night and said he was pleased with how Walker has “endured and stepped up through this whole situation.” At his Monday press conference, Wilks was asked if that performance convinced him Walker should start against the Falcons in Week Eight.


“As of right now, I don’t see a reason not to,” Wilks said.

Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold were both practicing at the end of last week as they work to get back from ankle injuries and Wilks said he didn’t know if either player would be available this week. That uncertainty joins Walker’s performance in putting him in position to make another start.

PFT

 

Colts plan to start Sam Ehlinger at QB for rest of season



The Colts will have a new quarterback this week.

Head coach Frank Reich announced that Sam Ehlinger will start for the Colts in Sunday’s home game against the Commanders. Reich also said that Matt Ryan has a a Grade 2 shoulder separation that will keep him from practicing or playing this week, but he made it clear that the decision to go to Ehlinger was not because of Ryan’s injury.


“Right now the move is for Sam to be the starter for the rest of the season,” Reich said, via the team’s website.

The Colts traded for Ryan this offseason and added guarantees to the final two years of his contract as they talked about having him run their offense beyond the 2022 season, but Ryan has a league-high nine interceptions to go with 11 fumbles through the first seven games of his run with the team. Given that investment, it’s not surprising that Reich said at his Monday press conference that team owner Jim Irsay and General Manager Chris Ballard were also involved in the decision to make Ehlinger the starter moving forward.

Ehlinger was a sixth-round pick last year who recently jumped Nick Foles for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. Reich said he thinks Ehlinger brings “special sauce” to the offense and they’ll get a chance to see it in action this weekend.

PFT

 

Mac Jones will go tonight...

 

The JETS made a interesting move by trading for James Robinson of JAGUARS for a 6rd pick which could turn into 5rd pick whatever that means,losing Breece Hall was a big blow for the JETS

 

Aaron Rodgers: Packers make too many mistakes, those guys shouldn’t be playing



Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says his teammates are making too many mistakes, and those who keep screwing up should be benched.

That harsh assessment came on Rodgers’ weekly appearance with Pat McAfee, where Rodgers said the Packers’ problems go deeper than just an occasional play going wrong.


“It’s definitely not just one play here or there,” Rodgers said. “It’s 20 percent of the time. If we have 50 plays and we have 10 missed assignments or mental errors, that’s 20 percent of the time. So that’s way too high. In the past we were looking more like, less than 10 percent, so that gives us a really good chance to be successful. 20 percent, that’s way too high. That’s one play a series where you’re really making it tough on yourself. So we’ve got to fix that. I think guys who are making too many mistakes shouldn’t be playing. Gotta start cutting some reps. And maybe guys who aren’t playing, give them a chance.”

Rodgers did not name any teammates who shouldn’t be playing, but it’s likely that the players he’s referring to know who they are. It’s also likely that some teammates have noticed that Rodgers himself has made his share of mistakes during this disappointing Packers season.

PFT

 

Just hate how Rodgers throws his teammates and coaching staff under the bus when he's played like shit himself... Thats one of many reasons I have no respect for the guy.

 

Shit human beings show themselves pretty clearly. Brady verbally abusing his teammates while having skipped training camp, Rodgers publicly pinning the blame on other players and calling for them to be benched... Maybe Rodgers should spend less time doing sativa and the media rounds. Just a thought.

 

October, 23rd tweet from Rodgers...



Just a couple days later, he's criticizing he's teammates.

The guy is wishy-washy and also the highest paid player in the NFL per annually... Not the kinda talk or attitude you want from that kinda person. He's frustrated, I get that, but he needs to own up.

On the other hand, I couldnt be happier its happening to Rodgers and the Packers... Nice to watch them implode live on the world stage.

 

Wow it's everybody's fault but his what's with this poor me don't you feel sorry for me act,your the qb get your team together if you can

 

What is this a 3 game losing streak could be best thing for us is what he said WTF

 

It seems like Aaron Rodgers doesn't want to be in Green Bay Christian Watson is the forgotten man don't understand this

 

Report: Mac Jones will start Sunday vs. Jets

Apparently, Bill Belichick saw how it went today.

According to Field Yates of ESPN, Patriots quarterback Mac Jones took about 90 percent of the first-team reps in Wednesday’s practice and will start against the Jets on Sunday.

Of course, just because Jones starts doesn’t mean he’ll finish the game. PFT reported on Monday that Jones took 90-95 percent of the reps in last Saturday’s practice before being listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Bears.

Jones played for the first three possessions on Monday before he was replaced by rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe. While Zappe’s first two drives ended in touchdowns, the Patriots failed to score another point.

The 15th overall pick of last year’s draft, Jones has had a turnover problem in 2022. In four games, the quarterback has completed 65 percent of his passes for 799 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions. He’s also lost a fumble.

But at least for now, it looks like Jones is going to get the first crack at showing what he can do with New England’s offense against the division-rival Jets this week.

YAHOO