[ad_1]
Old Washington football team quarterback and NFL Returning Player of the Year Alex smith thinks Taylor Heinicke is the real deal, telling Fox News in an interview this week that Heinicke has the confidence and poise to bring Washington to the top of the NFC East, a division he says will “shock” many in the league this season.
Smith, who retired last season after making an incredible comeback after a devastating leg injury in 2018, spoke to Fox News about Washington’s season after his Week 2 victory over the New York Giants where Taylor Heinicke made his third career start on the veteran Ryan fitzpatrick who was ruled out for at least eight weeks due to a hip injury.
TAYLOR HEINICKE’S WASHINGTON TEAMS IN WASHINGTON RENT QUARTERBACK
“I understand he hasn’t had a ton of experience,” Smith said of the recent hype surrounding Heinicke. “I think Thursday was his third career start, which is crazy, but he’s been in the league for a while. I remember hearing about Taylor when he was an undrafted player in Minnesota and was a very good player and had a bright future. “
“He’s been with (Washington offensive coordinator) Scott Turner for a long time, most of his career, and I think everything he’s been through has really led to this opportunity. I think he’s up for it. That. I think he’s ready to grab it, take advantage of it. Talent has never been a problem. ”
Smith said Thursday’s 30-29 win over the Giants was a good showcase for Heinicke’s abilities.
“A confident guy who goes out there. He knows what he’s doing, he knows the offense. He played decisively, he played fast and he played on his own. He wasn’t trying to dodge. ‘Do too much. Execute the offense, execute the offense, and let the big plays come to him. There’s no doubt in my mind that he can’t play like this week after week. “
Washington football quarterback Taylor Heinicke (4) throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Terry McLaurin against the New York Giants during the first half of an NFL football game, the Thursday, September 16, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo / Alex Brandon)
Smith, who joined ESPN as an NFL analyst in August after 17 seasons, said the conversation about what would happen when Fitzpatrick returned was “irrelevant.”
“You know, it’s so far. Ryan’s going to be missing a bit here, come back and be healthy, so it doesn’t really matter.”
“I certainly think he can, but he has to go,” he said of Heinicke remaining the Washington incumbent. “And who knows, I think having a deep quarterback and having guys who can play at a high level is just an advantage. You never know what might happen and when you need to be ready and I think Washington fans realize and appreciate it more than most. That’s just an added bonus… it’s a good problem to have. ”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Heinicke joined the Washington training squad in December 2020. He was fortunate enough to start in the Wild Card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after Smith was ruled out due to injury.
Smith says the same confident player he saw last season is the one Washington now has as a starter.
“Having been in this system all last year, I think I just saw a guy play with confidence, play fast. He was decisive, he wasn’t doing anything crazy. The timing wasn’t too great for him. , the spotlight wasn’t too big for him and I think we saw him last season with the playoffs [game]. On a huge stage, it was the same. Taylor didn’t blink, he was ready for it. “
Washington football quarterback Taylor Heinicke (4) dives to score a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers inside linebackers Kevin Minter (51) and Lavonte David (54) during the second half of an NFL playoff football game on Saturday, Jan.9. , 2021, in Landover, Maryland (AP Photo / Julio Cortez)
For now, Washington’s biggest obstacle will be the defensive line. Head coach Ron Rivera told reporters after Thursday’s win he noticed a “lack of discipline” in his defensive line, but Smith says it’s just “increasing pain” when you have a unit. so young.
“I think the defense would be the first to tell you that they certainly haven’t hit their level in the first two weeks, as they expected. I think the most telling is just whether they are improving or not. . “
He continued, “A wins a win, ugly or pretty. Nobody remembers the time of the playoffs. I think the most telling thing will be whether this unit on the defensive side of the ball keeps improving. and getting to where they want to go and where I think we all know they can play, in terms of talent, which I think is really, really high. “
Smith’s expectations for Washington are high this season after winning the NFC East Division title last year – a division he says will “shock” a ton of people after last year’s debacle.
“I think the NFC East is going to surprise a lot of people. I think it’s incredibly underrated in the league and I understand why and a lot of it is based on last year, but I think all of these games are going shock a lot of people. I think they’re a lot better than people think. I think Washington… has the most comprehensive list. I think the division is there for them, but I think it will be a Really competitive division, not just between but the rest of the divisions there as well. I think they’re going to shock a lot of people. ”
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is hit by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons as he throws during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, September 19, 2021 in Inglewood, Calif. ( AP Photo / Gregory Bull)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Smith spoke to Fox News on behalf of Gatorade, which launched its latest training technology, the Gx Sweat Patch and App, on Monday.
The first wearable device on the market unlocks athletes’ unique sweat profile to inform their personalized hydration strategies that can help improve performance – technology previously only available to elite athletes.
“It would probably be hard to overstate how important hydration is, just from a living standpoint, let alone playing sports at a high level and exercising,” Smith said. “I think the hardest part is knowing that there are a lot of these subtleties and differences. Obviously, water is a key part, but there is [other] things – salt, carbohydrates and a lot of those depend on your body type and the environment you’re in, all come into play and so it’s different for everyone. “
“Now having that instantly handy, I think that’s so cool.”
[ad_2]
Source link