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The Atlanta Falcons lost to the Tennessee Titans in a close cross-conference NFL matchup. Atlanta's quarterback situation took a turn, as Desmond Ridder sat the second half from concussion protocols. Taylor Heinicke took the reigns, and his impressive performance has some questioning his future role. Head Coach Arthur Smith commented on both QBs' statuses after the game.
Neither Atlanta QB is favored, as far as Arthur Smith is concerned
Smith would not say if either QB's role would be increased or reduced after Sunday's loss.
“We just finished the game. 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,” the head coach said, per Josh Kendall.
It is sound for Arthur Smith not to overreact. Both Falcons QBs performed well when they were in the game. Desmond Ridder was 8/12 and threw for 71 yards before his exit. Meanwhile, Taylor Heinicke had a great season debut.
Heinicke nailed 12 of 21 passes and threw for 175 yards and 1 touchdown. For someone who has not played all season, that is impressive. The 30-year-old will likely not start the next game, but he should definitely see more playing time.
Arthur Smith can rest easy knowing he has a solid backup if anything else happens to Ridder. Atlanta fans will have to wait until the next matchup to find out more about their intriguing, but fortunate QB situation.
The Falcons are now tied for first in the NFC South after their Titans loss.
