The Facts: Following up on this week's Team Notes. ... A new QB in Atlanta: Falcons’ HC Arthur Smith has named Taylor Heinicke as the starting QB for Sunday’s game vs. the Vikings.

Diehards Line: Heinicke steps into the elevated role after playing the final two quarters of last Sunday's Week 8 loss to the Tennessee Titans. He entered the game after halftime, when Desmond Ridder was pulled to be evaluated for a concussion. Though Ridder was cleared, Smith opted to stick with Heinicke. Through eight games, in which the Falcons have gone 4-4, Ridder has completed 157 of his 240 passes (65.4%) for 1,701 yards and six touchdowns. He has, however, thrown six interceptions and fumbled seven times. Before this week, there were times when Ridder's starting status was questioned, but Smith firmly stood behind Ridder. The recent mid-game switch, though, sparked the question again: Will the Falcons make a midseason switch at quarterback? For the time being, the answer is yes.