The Washington Football Team picked up a big win in Week 4, defeating the Atlanta Falcons, 34-30, to improve to 2-2 on the season.
Quarterback Taylor Heinicke was outstanding, completing 23 of 33 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns. Heinicke also rushed for 43 yards. He led two fourth-quarter touchdown drives to give Washington the win.
So, how did Heinicke grade out, per Pro Football Focus?
Well, Heinicke finished with an overall grade of 66.9, 10th among Washington offensive players. Why the lower grade? PFF’s Michael Renner explains:
It was a roller-coaster day for Taylor Heinicke. While he didn’t end up with a pick on the stat sheet, he still put the ball in harm’s way with a couple turnover-worthy plays. He missed a number of easy throws on the day and finished with only a 66.7 adjusted completion percentage. In the end, though, he gave his guys chances to make plays when it mattered most.
He’s not wrong. Heinicke was fortunate Atlanta safety Erik Harris didn’t intercept at least two passes. He also missed high on a few throws, including a two-point conversion. However, Heinicke is the biggest reason Washington won Sunday’s game, and that doesn’t always show on the stat sheet — or the grade sheet.
As for Washington’s highest-graded players, that would be wide receiver Terry McLaurin on offense and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.
McLaurin scored a grade of 79.8. He caught six passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns in the win. It was another stellar day for one of the NFL’s best wide receivers.
On what was another ugly day for the defense overall, Allen continues to shine. He scored a super-impressive 93.5 grade for Washington, including a 92.3 pass-rush grade. Allen did not record a sack, but he had his way with Atlanta’s interior offensive line if you back and watch the game.
Washington’s next highest-graded defender was Chase Young at 74.1.
