Current:Home > FinanceFalcons make quarterback change, going with veteran Taylor Heinicke over Desmond Ridder-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Falcons make quarterback change, going with veteran Taylor Heinicke over Desmond Ridder
View Date:2025-01-13 21:32:08
The Atlanta Falcons have made a change at quarterback, with veteran Taylor Heinicke taking over for starter Desmond Ridder to open the second half of the team's 28-23 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
The Falcons offense has struggled for most of the season with Ridder under center, averaging just 16.4 points per game, fourth fewest in the entire NFL.
Ridder took a hit late in the first half and was evaluated for a concussion. Even though was cleared to return, Falcons coach Arthur Smith opted to have Heinicke start the second half with the team facing a 14-3 deficit.
After the game, Smith did not reveal the reasoning for the swap or his team's plans at quarterback moving forward.
"We just finished the game," Smith said, according to The Athletic. Obviously, we have a lot of confidence in Des. I didn’t take him out for performance issues. (Heinicke) did his job. That’s why he’s here. We have a lot of faith in Taylor."
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Ridder was sacked five times in the first half and he lost a fumble as the Falcons could manage just 89 yards of offense.
After entering the game, Heinicke led the Falcons to three scoring drives – two resulted in Younghoe Koo field goals, while rookie Bijan Robinson scored his first NFL rushing touchdown from 13 yards out to pull the Falcons to within five points at 21-16.
veryGood! (76)
Related
- Ariana Grande Shares Dad's Emotional Reaction to Using His Last Name in Wicked Credits
- Interest in TikTok, distressed NY bank has echoes of Mnuchin’s pre-Trump investment playbook
- Celebrity chef José Andrés' aid group has sent 200 tons of food to Gaza. Who is he and what is World Central Kitchen?
- Authorities order residents to shelter in place after shootings in suburban Philadelphia township
- Watch as dust storm that caused 20-car pileup whips through central California
- Arizona legislation to better regulate rehab programs targeted by Medicaid scams is moving forward
- Virginia Lawmakers Try to Use Budget to Rejoin RGGI – But Success Is Questionable
- AI expert says Princess Kate photo scandal shows our sense of shared reality being eroded
- UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic fight card, odds, how to watch, date
- From 4-leaf clovers to some unexpected history, all you need to know about St. Patrick’s Day
Ranking
- Mariah Carey's Amazon Holiday Merch Is All I Want for Christmas—and It's Selling Out Fast!
- Prosecutors in Chicago charge man with stabbing ex-girlfriend’s 11-year-old son to death
- Coroner’s probe reveals Los Angeles maintenance man was Washington rape suspect believed long dead
- Judge delays Trump’s hush-money criminal trial until mid-April, citing last-minute evidence dump
- Olivia Munn Says She “Barely Knew” John Mulaney When She Got Pregnant With Their Son
- Top remaining NFL free agents: Ranking the 25 best players still available
- Former Massachusetts transit officer convicted of raping 2 women in 2012
- These Chic Michael Kors Handbags Are All Under $100 – Add Them to Your Cart Before They Sell Out
Recommendation
-
The Best Gifts for People Who Don’t Want Anything
-
Squid Game Star O Yeong-su Found Guilty of Sexual Misconduct
-
State Medicaid offices target dead people’s homes to recoup their health care costs
-
NASA gave Voyager 1 a 'poke' amid communication woes. Here's why the response was encouraging.
-
Officer injured at Ferguson protest shows improvement, transferred to rehab
-
Cable TV providers must offer clear pricing totals for video subscriptions, FCC rules
-
Kelly Ripa’s Trainer Anna Kaiser Wants You to Put Down the Ozempic and Do This to Stay Fit
-
What makes people happy? California lawmakers want to find out