Win vs. Colts another wild ride on the Heinicke rollercoaster originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Roller coasters are the most thrilling rides at amusement parks, largely due to the twists, turns, excess speed, steep climbs and drops they contain. Every second of the ride represents a different thrill.
Dating back to the playoff game in 2020, it's been every bit of a roller coaster ride for Washington Commanders fans with Taylor Heinicke under center. The quarterback has an exceptional football story and was considered an NFL longshot fewer than two years ago. Now, he's once again QB1 for the Burgundy and Gold and keeping fans on the edge of their seats every week.
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Sunday's game was no different. Besides one touchdown drive in the second quarter, the Heinicke-coaster was rather flat for much of the afternoon. But the quarterback made up for 50-plus minutes of dullness with a pair of epic fourth-quarter drives, with the latter giving Washington a 17-16 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
"He was saving it for later," head coach Ron Rivera joked about Heinicke elevating his play when it counted most.
A low-scoring, punt-heavy affair through the first three quarters saw Washington leading 7-6 entering the final quarter. The Colts, led by Sam Ehlinger in his first NFL start, took the lead with a 39-yard field goal early on in the period.
Just seconds after that field goal, the home fans at Lucas Oil Stadium were instantly given another reason to cheer.
On Washington's first play on the ensuing drive, Heinicke's arm was hit on a pass intended for Cam Sims. The football fell into the lap of Colts star Shaquille Leonard, setting up Indianapolis with excellent field position. Three plays later, Nyheim Hines walked in for a six-yard touchdown to give the Colts a 16-7 lead, one that seemed insurmountable.
The Commanders' offense, one that had struggled all day, didn't panic.
"After that interception, I think it was a 10-point game. Rivera came to me and said 'We're not going to score 10 points on one play,'" Heinicke said.
Twelve plays and 82 yards later, 75 of which came via Heinicke's arm, Commanders kicker Joey Slye knocked in a field goal to bring Washington back within one possession. Washington's defense held strong on the ensuing possession and forced a punt, giving Heinicke one final chance to lead Washington to victory.
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And, nine plays and 89 yards later, he did just that.
The Commanders' final drive consisted of multiple big-time, gutsy Heinicke throws. The quarterback connected with Curtis Samuel for 12 yards on a fourth-and-1 play to keep the drive alive. Two plays later, he connected with Cam Sims on an impressive 21-yard completion over the middle.
On the very next play, Heinicke escaped multiple defenders before uncorking a 33-yard pass to Terry McLaurin, who had single coverage with Stephon Gilmore on the left sideline. McLaurin, who led the NFL in contested catches last season, outjumped the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and hauled in the pass at the one-yard line.
"He continues to make the plays," Heinicke said on McLaurin. "Very blessed that he's on our team. I can't say enough good things about Terry. ... The guy is a treasure. I'm very happy he's on our team and I'm going to continue to give him shots when needed."
"Taylor saw me and he just gave me a chance at the ball," McLaurin added. "I had a lot of confidence I was going to come down with the ball. It was just a great overall play, from the O-line to Taylor just giving me a chance."
McLaurin's sensational catch set up Heinicke for a one-yard, go-ahead touchdown run. Twenty-two seconds later, the Commanders earned their third straight victory.
"He's a ball player," Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen said on Heinicke. "At the end of the day, he's going to win you football games."
Sunday's victory was far from a banner win for the Commanders. After all, Heinicke had more passing yards on the final two drives than he did in the first 50-plus minutes. That's not a recipe for success.
But on Sunday in Indianapolis, Heinicke did enough for the Commanders to get the victory. Washington has won the quarterback's two starts this season. And, it's clear how much the locker room is behind No. 4.
"I think it's the intangible things that keep this team together. A lot of the wins aren't pretty," Heinicke said. "But it's a win, nonetheless. The guys have a lot of heart. They keep battling. ... That's just our team, man. We're just a bunch of guys out there working hard and trying to play our best ball. I love this team. It's my favorite team I've been on, my favorite locker room I've been with. I can't say enough good things about the guys in there."
