Commanders Coffee #12

[Canadian Hog]

If Carson Wentz is fit to play at Houston or the following week vs. Atlanta, who is your starting QB if you were the coach?

Wentz or Heinicke?

I figure we will leave Howell entirely out of this, because at 5-5 and a half game out of a Wildcard spot, we know Rivera isn't riverboating to that degree.

Argue and discuss away.

 

[Chris]

It has to be Taylor now. No way does Rivera go back to Wentz after last night.

(Sorry John)

 

[Boone]

I don’t care who they play - I just feel Rivera will go back to Wentz the first time Heinicke has a bad game. Heinicke was just okay for me last night, but I think it was all of the other players hyping up TH’s game that will keep him in there for the time being.

 

[Chris]

I just can’t stomach watching Wentz being a statue in the pocket again. I just can’t.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Henicke. He wasn’t great last night, had 2 turnovers and no TDs. But they are winning. You stick with what you are doing, which is playing ball control and winning with defense. The next 2 games are winnable games, so if they stick with that, Heinicke will most likely start the next 3. After the Giants game and the bye week, we will see.

 

[MikefromOH]

Consider me on the Heinicke bandwagon. He has his mistakes that we all know, but the kid has heart and moxy. Those are things you don't see often in players nowadays

 

[Neophyte]

Taylor is flawed but isn't fatal. He brings things to this team that can't be measured at the Combine. The team plays for him in ways it never played for Alex Smith, Carson Wentz, Kirk Cousins, or any other QB since RGIII was a rookie (and I think that was more about RGIII's excitement factor than RGIII himself).

We have gone 3-1 with Taylor and a real argument can be made that we should be 4-0. I don't believe that would be the case with Carson.

 

[DieselPwr44]

Gotta ride the wave when you're up on it.

Heinicke.

And pray that Turner keeps the run heavy blueprint.

 

[Boone]

I don’t believe that for a second. Nor would I want a HC to have that mindset. It’s all about performance and giving your team the best chance to win every week.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Yeah, another thing coaches do I don’t like. If Heinicke plays poorly and they lose to Houston and/or Atlanta, you are stupid for sticking with that QB. They’ve already had to crack the seal on the backup, there is no need to stick with one guy if one is not playing well. Also, I think we all want to see Sam Howell at some point. But it sounds like Ron has no interest in that.

 

[Om]

I suspect Ron has talked to his team leaders and gotten the clear message that the locker room wants TH4 to be the guy. Hard to image he'd make that statement if he intended to start Wentz despite all the Taylor love from the players, the 70% snaps trigger in Wentz' contract, etc.

That said I also would prefer that he would simply have kept the "rest of the season" stuff in house. Not sure I see any benefit in airing this stuff out.

 

[burgold]

I don’t care who they play - I just feel Rivera will go back to Wentz the first time Heinicke has a bad game. Heinicke was just okay for me last night, but I think it was all of the other players hyping up TH’s game that will keep him in there for the time being.

The incredible thing to me is two of Hienicke's best plays make him look worse on the stat sheet. Recovering the fumbled snap and throwing the interception and scrambling around and then realizing he could take a knee. I don't know that I've ever seen a QB do a scramble drill ending in a knee. It was an incredibly aware play.

His QB play is probably below average, but he does make some really amazing "football" plays.

Edit: Just thought of a third. On the first kneel down play, Heinicke actually waited for the defense for a few seconds. Heinicke realized that they didn't quite have the time to run the clock out completely. He was right. They had to punt leaving the Eagles time for a five second miracle. He should have delayed the kneel again if he thought he could have gotten away with it or audibled to a run play even though I guess Rivera and company feared a fumble or some weird fluke play like Vikings Bills.

 

[Henry]

I don't think Heinicke is the long term answer for this team, but he sure looks like the short term answer. The team wins when he's on the field. For that reason alone I'd start him until the team is out of playoff contention. Then I'd give the kid some reps.

Wentz is right out. He's just a bad fit here.

 

[Chris]

Hard dude not to like.

 

[Boone]

The incredible thing to me is two of Hienicke's best plays make him look worse on the stat sheet. Recovering the fumbled snap and throwing the interception and scrambling around and then realizing he could take a knee. I don't know that I've ever seen a QB do a scramble drill ending in a knee. It was an incredibly aware play.

His QB play is probably below average, but he does make some really amazing "football" plays.

Edit: Just thought of a third. On the first kneel down play, Heinicke actually waited for the defense for a few seconds. Heinicke realized that they didn't quite have the time to run the clock out completely. He was right. They had to punt leaving the Eagles time for a five second miracle. He should have delayed the kneel again if he thought he could have gotten away with it or audibled to a run play even though I guess Rivera and company feared a fumble or some weird fluke play like Vikings Bills.

It’s double irony because not only do some of his best decisions hurt him on the stats sheet, some of his worst help him. I’ve never seen any QB make stupider decisions at times, only to have freak circus events bail him out and make him look like a hero (see every other deep ball he’s ever thrown).

As far as him being the QB for now - we were ready never to see him again after that godawful performance against the Vikings.

Im no less thrilled with the Eagles win than anyone else, but they won that game as much in spite of Heinicke as because of him. Is he a better bet than Wentz right now? Probably. But not by much.

 

[burgold]

It’s double irony because not only do some of his best decisions hurt him on the stats sheet, some of his worst help him. I’ve never seen any QB make stupider decisions at times, only to have freak circus events bail him out and make him look like a hero (see every other deep ball he’s ever thrown).

As far as him being the QB for now - we were ready never to see him again after that godawful performance against the Vikings.

Im no less thrilled with the Eagles win than anyone else, but they won that game as much in spite of Heinicke as because of him. Is he a better bet than Wentz right now? Probably. But not by much.

Yeah, Heinicke is the perfect argument for both sides of the eternal question: Is it better to be lucky than good or better to be good than lucky?

 

[burgold]

Hard dude not to like.

Heh. Usually, the QB buying the oline stuff makes sense, but out linemen outsalary him by quite a bit. Heinicke should buy them all shower slippers (flip flops) and they should take him out for a steak.

 

[MikefromOH]