Ron Rivera admits Commanders QB switch is something he has to 'think about at some point,' but not for Week 16

Heinicke is still the starter, for now

The Washington Commanders' playoff chances took a big hit in Week 15, as they fell to the rival New York Giants, 20-12. The Giants never trailed in this matchup, as they jumped out to a 14-3 halftime lead, and pulled off a goal line stand with just under a minute left in the fourth quarter. 

Commanders quarterback Taylor Heinicke completed 17 of 29 passes for 249 yards and one touchdown, but the Commanders went just 1-3 in the red zone and lost the turnover battle, 2-0. The Old Dominion product is a fan favorite, but it's unknown how long he will hold onto his title as starter. 

Head coach Ron Rivera was asked Monday if he was considering a quarterback switch. He said Heinicke would start against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16, but that a decision could be coming down the line. 

"I think the biggest thing, more than anything else, is sticking with Taylor and what we're trying to establish," Rivera said, via Richmond.com. "(A switch) is something that obviously is talked about, obviously out there.

"It is something that, you know, to be quite frank, I do have to think about at some point. But if we can continue to get back on track and play the way we've played and do things that we've done, then we'll stick with where we are."

These are relatively surprising comments, as Heinicke has brought new life to Washington's 2022 campaign, going 5-2-1 as the starter. If Heinicke were to be benched, it would be for Carson Wentz, who the Commanders traded for this offseason. Wentz went 2-4 as the starter before being sidelined with a fractured finger. That opened the door for Heinicke to run through.

"I think a lot of it is, as long as I'm open with him and he understands where I'm coming from, we both get the messaging," Rivera said about Heinicke. 

Now 7-6-1, the Commanders own the No. 7 seed in the NFC -- also known as the last wild-card spot. Heinicke and this offense face a tough task this week, as they travel to take on the No. 1 defense in the 49ers. Rivera isn't making a move at quarterback yet, but it's something that apparently is on his radar.