Packers vs. Commanders NFL Week 7 odds: Taylor Heinicke gets call as Washington QB over rookie Sam Howell

Three rookie quarterbacks have started at least one game in the NFL this season, and their results have been a mixed bag, as is usually the case for rookies. There will not be a fourth in Sunday's Green Bay at Washington game as Commanders coach Ron Rivera has decided to go with journeyman Taylor Heinicke under center to replace the injured Carson Wentz instead of fifth-round pick Sam Howell. The Packers are -5.5 at Caesars Sportsbook, and the odds haven't really changed with this news as oddsmakers essentially were expecting it.

Heinicke, a former undrafted free agent out of Old Dominion, has started 16 games in his regular-season career, one with Carolina in 2018 and 15 last year with Washington. His record is 7-9, and Heinicke (who can run) has completed 64.6% of his passes for 3,886 yards, 22 touchdowns and 18 picks.

That's good for a passer rating of 84.0, which would rank 23rd among qualified NFL QBs this year, one spot behind Wentz (84.1) and just ahead of struggling Russell Wilson (83.4). Per Pro Football Focus, Heinicke had 18 "big-time throws" compared to 27 "turnover-worthy plays" last season.

Wentz fractured his right ring finger in Washington's 12-7 win over the Chicago Bears on Thursday night in Week 6. He has decent yardage and TD numbers, but the Commanders scored a combined 55 points in the first two games and only 47 in the subsequent four. He's likely to miss about four weeks. The team traded three draft picks to Indianapolis for Wentz and a 2022 second-round choice.

Washington enters a very tough stretch of its schedule Sunday. The Commanders face Green Bay this week, then play Week 8 at Indianapolis, Week 9 vs. Minnesota and Week 10 at Philadelphia. Perhaps the coaching staff thought that was too much for Howell to handle, but he will serve as the No. 2. He was quite solid during the preseason, completing 62.3 percent of his passes for 547 yards, a TD, pick and nine sacks taken.

The other three rookie QBs to start so far are Kenny Pickett for Pittsburgh, Bailey Zappe for New England and Skylar Thompson for Miami. Heinicke will be the second backup the Packers will face. They won 27-24 in OT at home against the Patriots in Week 4 when Brian Hoyer started, although he was hurt fairly early and Zappe replaced him. 

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