The Dwayne Haskins Era in Washington is all but over.
Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera announced Monday quarterback Taylor Heinicke will start in the team’s Week 17 game against the Philadelphia Eagles if Alex Smith is not fully recovered from his strained calf.
Haskins, who started the last two games for Washington despite a rocky off the field week, would be the No. 3 quarterback behind Heinicke if Smith is able to start. Haskins was benched in the 4th quarter of Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Carolina Panthers. (Update: Washington released Haskins on Monday.)
Rivera said he is optimistic Smith will be able to play in Washington’s crucial win or go home game.
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"He was very close last week,” Rivera said Monday about Smith. “I thought he had an exceptional day on Friday, but it's always about how that person feels the next day and he felt it was still grabbing him a little bit.
“This week, I'm optimistic about the opportunity."
But if Smith is unable to go, Rivera will turn to Heinicke, who only arrived in Washington a few weeks ago.
"I thought there are a lot of positives to it,” Rivera said about Heinicke’s two drives in the 4th quarter. “I think he showed what I was hoping to see when he got his opportunity, that it wasn't too big."
Rivera explained he decided to start Haskins because of his performance in practice leading up to the game.
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"I thought he practiced well,” he said. “I thought what I saw from Dwayne during the week and what I saw in the second half of the Seattle game, I thought we'd be able to carry it over.”
Rivera was less pleased with the former No. 15 overall draft pick’s play against the Panthers.
After reviewing the game tape Rivera said he felt the missed opportunities to capitalize on offense and turnovers were the team’s biggest issue Sunday.
So what does that mean for Haskins’ future in Washington? Rivera again said the young quarterback has talent and a strong arm, but added Haskins has had his struggles in Washington both on and off the field.
"You know, this is about learning experiences, life experiences," Rivera said. "I think a lot of the things that he's gone through - and not just this year, but last year as well, kind of being put to the side and kind of being brought along then getting this (chance) at the end of the year.
"Sometimes you have to go through some hard knocks. Sometimes you have to reach rock bottom before you can dig your way back out of it. Sometimes change helps. But with Dwayne, it's, 'What have you learned?' What are you going to take from these experiences that are going to help you grow and get better? That's the big thing with him."
"I think that hopefully, he learns from these experiences because hopefully they'll make him stronger, and they'll help him and when he gets the next opportunity, he makes the best of it," Rivera said about Haskins.
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