Commanders fans, Joe Theismann call for Taylor Heinicke to replace Carson Wentz after interceptions

Jacob Camenker

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Commanders fans, Joe Theismann call for Taylor Heinicke to replace Carson Wentz after interceptions image

The Commanders opted to start Carson Wentz over Taylor Heinicke in Week 17 against the Browns.

The early returns were not good, and the fans on hand at FedEx Field let Ron Rivera know it.

Wentz struggled out of the chute and tossed a couple of interceptions in the first half. That included a long, lofted pass downfield that floated with ease into the hands of Cleveland's Grant Delpit.

MORE: Why Carson Wentz is starting over Taylor Heinicke in Week 17

The Commanders fans on hand at FedEx Field grew increasingly frustrated as Wentz floundered. They voiced their opinion of the veteran quarterback's performance by chanting for Heinicke to replace Wentz.

Those in the stands weren't the only ones calling for Wentz to be benched. Former Washington quarterback Joe Theismann was among those that took to Twitter to call for Heinicke to enter the game.

It's easy to understand why Washington supporters were vexed by Wentz's early returns. Many hadn't wanted Rivera to pivot away from Heinicke — who posted a 5-3-1 record compared to Wentz's mark of 2-4 — as the starter.

And Sunday's game against the Browns is critical to Washington's playoff chances. The Commanders could potentially clinch a playoff spot if several other games break in their favor, but they also could be eliminated.

So, as Wentz struggled, many fans believed their worst-case scenario was playing out. A 21-play touchdown drive to close the half gave them a brief glimpse of hope before halftime, but Wentz erased that with a lackluster second half, which included a third interception.

That pick worked to effectively ice the game, a 24-10 Commanders loss that now puts Washington's playoff chances on life support.

Jacob Camenker

Jacob Camenker Photo

Jacob Camenker first joined The Sporting News as a fantasy football intern in 2018 after his graduation from UMass. He became a full-time employee with TSN in 2021 and now serves as a senior content producer with a particular focus on the NFL. Jacob worked at NBC Sports Boston as a content producer from 2019 to 2021. He is an avid fan of the NFL Draft and ranked 10th in FantasyPros’ Mock Draft Accuracy metric in both 2021 and 2022.