Carson Wentz knew it too, and instantly began working towards snaps with heart Wes Schweitzer on the bench.
After Heinicke led Washington right into a playoff hunt within the 5-2-1 stretch, his run got here to a screeching halt Saturday afternoon as a turnover and penalty put the Commanders down. Regardless of taking part in effectively within the third quarter, he was benched by Wentz halfway by the fourth quarter.
The starter for subsequent week’s recreation towards Cleveland is but to be decided.
“We will consider the tapes and speak about them. I am going to decide within the ultimate week,” coach Ron Rivera mentioned. However it offers me the prospect to work.”
Washington (7-7-1) continues to be No. 7 within the NFC and dominates playoff fortunes, due to losses early within the day by the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks. The Commanders’ more than likely path to the postseason is to win his final two video games towards the Browns and Dallas Cowboys at FedEx Subject.
The quarterback state of affairs started to cloud after the Commanders misplaced to the New York Giants in Week 15 and Heinicke failed twice within the purple zone.
His chain in Santa Clara was brief. very brief. And even after making the change, Rivera acknowledged that the turnover shortcomings weren’t simply Heinicke.
“It should be actually laborious to place all these issues down on him,” Rivera mentioned.
Heinicke gained 13 of 18 yards for 166 yards, had two touchdowns, one interception, and one fumble, and people turnovers damage his stats line. He handed the primary half together with his 8 out of 11 and completed with a 126.7 ranking, ending with rookie wideout Jahan within the nook of his zone he scored his go for a phenomenal landing to Dotson. Nonetheless, Washington failed to attain on 4 and 1 from the 1-yard line within the second quarter, and after a fourth-quarter turnover, Wentz took over and led the Commanders on an 82-yard scoring drive.
Heinicke was the primary to congratulate Wentz, who trotted off the sphere following a 20-yard landing go to Curtis Samuel, and shortly conceded the play after the sport.
“I felt like I used to be taking part in effectively for 3 and a half quarters,” Heinicke mentioned. “Clearly not how they wish to begin the fourth quarter. ‘s first recreation and it is fairly cool that he went down and scored a landing. He was prepared for the second.”
Wentz’s scoring go solely shortened the 49ers’ result in ten. The Commanders already had an excessive amount of self-harm. Penalties (6 during which he misplaced 51 yards), turnovers (2) and massive performs made potential by a beforehand stout protection. — lots of the similar points that prevented the season from beginning.
Coming into the sport, particularly after Rivera and offensive coordinator Scott Turner lamented the rookie’s minimal touches on operating again Bryan Robinson Jr., the commander mentioned he wished to emphasise runs. It was a precedence on Saturday.
However Washington’s dedication did not pay dividends towards the 49ers’ league-leading run protection. On 24 carries within the first half, the Commanders totaled 52 yards and averaged 2.2 yards per run. Robinson gained 58 yards on his 22 carries and the workforce had his 79 on the bottom.
After a pair of three-and-outs to begin the sport, the Commanders’ offense discovered a similarity in rhythm on their third drive, passing for 84 internet yards in 17 performs earlier than stalling on the 1-yard line and giving up 4 runs. Didn’t convert in Down. When Antonio Gibson was stranded.
“I feel we moved the ball fairly effectively within the first half,” mentioned Heinicke. “We preserve taking pictures ourselves within the foot.”
On the opposite aspect of the ball, defensive finish Chase Younger made his season debut after an prolonged absence to recuperate from a knee damage. The plan was to restrict his snaps to his 12-16, however that was scrapped within the second half as he settled. Younger seemed nice in his first recreation, recording a foul go and a few tackles.
“However the perfect half was his conditioning,” Rivera mentioned. “…We advised him we needed to be sincere. We had been going to belief him. Once we obtained to the fourth quarter, they requested in the event that they wished to close him down. I spoke to him immediately, “Coach, I am feeling actually good.”
However the Commanders had been coping with one other damage to a key defender. All-round security Cam Karl was sidelined attributable to ankle issues. I relied on He held on, however had a breakdown elsewhere.
Within the second quarter, Washington’s run protection was undone with a 71-yard landing by Ray Ray MacLeod, who broke by the appropriate aspect of the road and located a large lane.
Within the third quarter, 49ers rookie sign caller Brock Purdy discovered tight finish George Kittle large open in the midst of the sphere after a protection breakdown. Security Darrick Forrest, who picked Purdy within the second quarter to arrange a landing by Dotson, was deep and couldn’t monitor Kittle, who handed him on the seam route for a 33-yard landing.
“I’ve to be higher than that,” Forrest mentioned. “The second I met him, I knew it was my fault.”
Rivera, nonetheless scorching from a name towards the commanders towards the Giants, had a prolonged dialog with officers once more on Saturday. however after bringing the chains out to be measured, officers decided they had been in need of inches. was seen from the sidelines.
Commander’s Response: One shot at Terry McLaughlin. large one.
Heinicke despatched a 51-yard go to his favourite receiver to heart from his personal 43-yard line with about three minutes left within the third spherical. Round him he had two defenders and McLaughlin dove into the catch on the San Francisco 6.
“I lastly obtained the prospect to get the matchup I wished and shot down the sphere,” McLoughlin mentioned. “Taylor did an important job of giving me the prospect to trace the ball.
The Commanders entered the fourth quarter simply seven factors behind with Heinicke taking part in effectively, however back-to-back drive setbacks from the offense despatched the quarterback to the bench.
First, Nick Bosa hit Heinicke as he pulled again to throw, hitting the ball into Jordan Willis’ arm on the Commanders’ 11-yard line. unfold to
On Washington’s ensuing drive, Heinicke was intercepted by cornerback Jimmy Ward for 25 on a brief go for Robinson. The protection held up and compelled a discipline aim, making the rating 30-14.
Rivera relied on Wentz for the remainder of the quarter, giving him his first snap since Week 6 when he injured his finger and was positioned on the injured record.
The Commanders bowed and walked off the sphere with one other loss, presumably one other beginning quarterback, and a diminished likelihood to return to the postseason.
“It was positively bizarre. I did not imply to lie,” Wentz mentioned. “I additionally sympathize with Taylor. I believed he performed effectively. So the entire thing was bizarre and sadly we did not make it.”
