NFC Notes: Taylor Heinicke, Hayden Hurst, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Falcons

Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke said he and Desmond Ridder still have a good relationship after being named Atlanta’s starting quarterback for the final three weeks of the season. 

“Des and I found out Monday afternoon and nothing’s really changed, it’s kind of the same thing as before,” Heinicke said, via ProFootballTalk. “We come in every day, work together, trying to get each other better, again, he’s still leading the meetings as before and if he misses something up there, I’ll chime in and say something. We have a really good relationship and he’s been helping me out this week so far.”

Heinicke is grateful to still be playing in the eighth year of his NFL career. 

“I have a lot of confidence in my game, if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here,” Heinicke said. “If someone told me you’d be in your eighth year in the league — if they told me that as a rookie, I would’ve took it in a heartbeat. So the fact that I’m still here I feel like I’m doing something right. Obviously, I was out of the league two, three years ago, and I told myself if I get back in, I’m going to have fun and I’m just going to play every play like it’s my last. And that’s been working for me for the last two, three years. So, I feel like if I just keep doing that, good things will happen.”

• Ian Rapoport reports the Falcons were fined $75,000 along with HC Arthur Smith being fined $25,000 after violating the NFL Injury Report Policy ahead of Week 7 against the Buccaneers.

Panthers

Panthers TE Hayden Hurst spoke to the media for the first time since being diagnosed with Post Traumatic Amnesia after a hit from Bears S Jaquan Brisker.

“The last two weeks, that’s all I’ve thought about,” Hurst told ESPN. “I’ve always been one of those guys where it’s just play, you get hurt and now it’s going to hurt when you’re playing. I’ve never really thought about down the road, family, future. Unfortunately, when you take a hit like that, it really affects the people around you.”

Saints

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport said it’s his understanding that Saints HC Dennis Allen‘s job is safe for the time being.

“My understanding is that Dennis Allen is in a good spot,” Rapoport said, via Saints Wire. “Obviously if it goes horrific at the end of the year, this is always subject to change, life is subject to change, but that is where it stands right now.”

Rapoport added that the team’s roster is not where it needs to be and they haven’t gotten the production out of QB Derek Carr that they hoped for.

“One of the reasons is they’re not getting out of where they are any time soon. Derek Carr is fully guaranteed for next year. Could they move on, I don’t think they want to, it’s expensive if they decide to. You have a roster that’s getting a little older, getting a little slower, it’s still really expensive. Off the edge it’s not as fast or twitchy as you’d like.”

Rapoport also said that if the team does undergo a full makeover, they’re unlikely to start the process with a brand new head coach.

“If they’re going to rebuild, they’re going to have to actually rebuild, and it just doesn’t feel like that’s something you do with a completely new coach,” Rapoport mused. “And you can’t do it next year basically anyway, so it does seem primed for a reboot in New Orleans.”