It’s doubtful that as a little boy growing up in Green Bay, Taylor Heinicke envisioned his NFL touchdown at Lambeau Field to look like what happened Sunday. After all, it didn’t end up being a touchdown at all. And ultimately, Heinicke’s antics cost his team very valuable points.
Heinicke thought he had scored a touchdown against Green Bay. Facing a third-and-goal on the Packers’ 3-yard line, Heinicke scrambled to his right and found himself with a wide-open path to the end zone. Acres of space to walk right in.
He inexplicably dove and then rolled into the end zone. Apparently for dramatic effect. He even did the Lambeau Leap after spotting a Washington fan in the crowd after he had “scored”.
The only problem was that he downed himself in the process. He was never tackled, but as a quarterback diving head first, he gave himself up and the play is over. A replay review overturned the call on the field, and instead of an easy walk-in touchdown, Heinicke was marked down just short of the goal line.
To rub salt in the wound, Heinicke got stuffed on the subsequent 4th and goal on the quarterback sneak. Washington came away with nothing.
Instead of cutting the lead to one score at 21-14, Washington was still down 14 points on the road at Lambeau deep into the second half.
Fruitless Fourth
Washington never did close the gap to seven. The two teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter and the game finished up 24-10.
Washington got into the red zone two more times in the fourth quarter, but came away with just one field goal.
Heinicke’s stat line and Aaron Rodgers’ stat line were similar. The WFT quarterback was 25 of 36 for 268 yards, while last year’s MVP was 27 of 35 for 274 yards. Heinicke even led all rushers on both teams with 95 yards on 10 carries.
Unfortunately, Rodgers statistics also included three touchdown passes, and that was the difference in the game score.
Losing Play?
No one play actually decides any football game. Sunday was no different. But Heinicke’s gaff was definitely a major blow to Washington’s chances at coming away with a win.
There were other errors that made things difficult for Washington as well, like Antonio Gibson’s third fumble of the season.
Terry McLaurin’s missed catch in the end zone, put a blemish on an otherwise great game for the young receiver. He had 7 catches for 122 yards and a touchdown, but he could have had eight catches and two touchdowns.
Things could have gone differently, and the result of this game could have been different for Washington.
It wasn’t, but it could have been.
Green Bay is a better football team in a better football place at the moment.
Ultimately, it showed on Sunday.
Lambeau Losers
Green Bay came away with their sixth straight win, to move to 6-1 on the season. Washington dropped it’s third straight to fall to 2-5.
It was actually 33 years and one day since Washington last won a game in Green Bay – October 23rd, 1988. Doug Williams was the last Washington quarterback to win a game at Lambeau.
And he still is.
