Falcons to start Heinicke again, will re-evaluate QBs during bye week

The Atlanta Falcons will start veteran quarterback Taylor Heinicke over Desmond Ridder again in Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals, head coach Arthur Smith said Monday, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Smith added that he plans to re-evaluate the starting quarterback position during their Week 11 bye.

Heinicke's first start for the Falcons was Sunday's 31-28 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He threw for 268 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and the Falcons looked set for a victory until the Vikings scored a game-winning touchdown in the final 30 seconds.

Atlanta went away from Ridder midway through the team's Week 8 loss to the Tennessee Titans, removing Ridder despite the fact he cleared concussion protocol and inserting Heinicke. Smith later announced that Ridder would serve as the backup for Week 9.

Ridder has struggled to take the next step since his 2022 rookie season, in which he posted a 2-2 record as a starter. He's thrown six touchdowns to six interceptions this year and has recorded a passer rating under 80 in four of his eight starts.

Atlanta heads into its game against Arizona with a 4-5 record on the heels of two losses.