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The Washington Commanders are in trouble, and that's not just because of the defense. Carson Wentz has been mediocre at quarterback since the start of the season, and now he is injured for at least four weeks which means it's Taylor Heinicke time! There are two reasons that Heinicke is better than Wentz ... for the Commanders at least.
Disclaimer: I'm not saying Wentz is the worst quarterback in the NFL, because he isn’t. When he’s at his best, he still makes throws that not many other QBs can make. The problem is the Commanders roster isn’t set up to allow him to do that.
Here is why Heinicke is the better choice to win right now:
Mobility
The main reason is Heinicke’s mobility. The Commanders have a bad offensive line. It's so bad that Wentz has been sacked 23 times. While most of that is the line’s fault, Wentz deserves some blame because he isn't able to extend the play and escape initial pressure.
In contrast, Heinicke has been able to use his ability to improvise when the first read isn't there to escape pressure and leave the pocket, which puts the defense on its heels. Look at Heinicke's first game with the Commanders, which was the 2020 wild card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Todd Bowles' game plan was to make sure that if the Buccaneers lost, it would be because Heinicke beat them – and he nearly did it! One of the biggest plays was when Heinicke was under pressure, ducked under the blitzing defender and then ran for a first down. Later, Heinicke escaped pressure, ran for the end zone and dove to reach the ball over the goal line for the touchdown. When the pocket breaks down, Heinicke is at his best. You don’t get this with Wentz.
Decision Making
The second reason is decision making. Wentz is the ultimate coin flip. Every time the ball is snapped he can either make a play that shows he is an MVP candidate or he can shoot the team in the foot with a horrible decision. Look at the Jaguars game that opened this season. He made two great touchdown throws to win the game, but that barely overcame the two horrible interceptions that nearly lost it.
Heinicke has learned that every pass doesn't need to be a home run ball. He has been able to become a game manager, but in a good way. He doesn't throw the check-down every time and takes his own deep shots.
Historically the deep ball is Wentz’s go-to move. But that is the only thing he wants to do when he is throwing under center or In shotgun. The deep can be his strength but if he doesn’t have time for that play to work it isn’t as valuable. He can’t do what he’s good at because we can’t block for him (and because the playcalling isn’t super innovative, but that’s another issue entirely and not something Wentz or Heinicke can control)
That’s why Heinicke is better than Wentz, at least for the Commanders right now. I hope you enjoyed this week's article. See you next time.
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