As the new second-string quarterback in his home area, Taylor Heinicke was efficient for the host Atlanta Falcons on Friday night in their 13-13 tie with Cincinnati.
Heinicke, a former Old Dominion record-setter and Washington starter who signed as a free agent with Atlanta in the offseason, completed 13 of 21 passes for 162 yards and hooked up with J.J. Arcega-Whiteside on a 28-yard completion that set up the Falcons’ only touchdown. Carlos Washington Jr. took it in from the 1.
Atlanta starter Desmond Ridder led an impressive drive in his preseason debut, and the Falcons settled for a field goal with 2 seconds left.
Jake Browning guided an 80-yard drive to that put the Bengals ahead 13-10 with 50 seconds remaining. But Logan Woodside led the Falcons into position for Younghoe Koo’s tying 45-yard kick, a decision that drew boos from the smattering of fans left in the stadium.
Ridder completed 7 of 9 passes for 80 yards and had a 7-yard run before an interception off a deflected pass in his lone possession. He carries Atlanta’s hopes of breaking a streak of five losing seasons.
Ridder started four games as a rookie at the end of last season, leading the Falcons to a 2-2 record and persuading coach Arthur Smith that he can handle the job.
Giants 21, Panthers 19: Daniel Jones completed 8 of 9 passes and threw a touchdown pass to cap a nearly perfect performance in leading New York to a home victory over Carolina and improving No. 1 overall draft pick Bryce Young.
Jones capped his only drive with a 4-yard TD toss to Daniel Bellinger. Backup Tyrod Taylor, a veteran from Hampton High and Virginia Tech, threw a 33-yard TD pass to Jalin Hyatt, and Eric Gray scored on a 9-yard run for New York (1-1).
Young, who did little in his NFL debut last week against the Jets, showed flashes and put points on the board for the first time, taking the Panthers (0-2) on a long field-goal drive.
