WFT QB Taylor Heinicke: Criticism Earned

First part of solving a problem is acknowledging it exists, and that part is taken care of

When Taylor Heinicke boldly announced he was ready and capable of leading the Washington Football Team for the duration of the 2021 NFL season and beyond, it might have been a little premature. 

To be fair though, what do we expect him to say in that situation? 

I mean, if he says, 'No, I don't think I'm ready and I really wish Ryan Fitzpatrick was healthy so I could sit and learn some more.', then his stock goes into the deepest reaches of the darkest toilet we can find. 

But his confidence was real. Just as authentic, however, have been his mistakes. 

Last weekend against the New Orleans Saints, quarterback Jameis Winston won just the third game of his career when having an interception and a lost fumble. Heinicke's inability to lead his offense to touchdowns following both of those turnovers came back to hurt Washington significantly. 

And then there were the turnovers.

"You go back and look at those two picks (against the Saints), they're just bad decisions and bad throws," Heinicke told the media on Wednesday. 

You might expect those words from a writer here at SI.com's FanNation, or a national talking head, or even a fan. 

To hear them from the quarterback is both damning and encouraging. 

You hate to hear them, because they're mistakes within his control. But you love to hear it, because if he knows it's an issue, then there's a chance he can fix it. And we already know he has the determination and drive to improve. 

Owning the errors in a player's performance isn't necessarily a given. So when it happens, it's a good sign things can get better.

"And I was kind of late to throws," Heinicke continued, "which ended up being incomplete passes in crucial situations. So, it's just really honing down on the little things and trying to clear those things out."

Washington Football Team fans have long wanted a reason to believe in the team. The 'Heinicke Hive' proudly displays all of its quarterback's achievements wherever it can, whenever it can. 

The Kansas City Chiefs are considered a giant of today's NFL, with their own quarterback Patrick Mahomes already being proclaimed as the 'Baby GOAT', compared to Tampa Bay's Tom Brady.

If the WFT can pull off the upset win over the Chiefs, it will get a major shot in the arm when it comes to confidence. Not just from the inside, but the outside. 

It's a winnable game. But it's going to start with learning from what other teams have done successfully already against the Chiefs, and it's going to require a more mature Heinicke.

Good news is, he's fully aware of it.