Alex Smith Out, Taylor Heinicke Starting for Washington Football Team Tonight

The Washington Football Team has announced that Alex Smith will be inactive with his calf injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tonight which means that Taylor Heinicke is getting the nod at starting quarterback.

This news has been relatively expected if you read the tea leaves, but it's especially a bummer considering how inspiring Smith's comeback story had been this season. Heinicke started a game for Ron Rivera and the Carolina Panthers in 2018, and played in relief for Dwayne Haskins in a game late this season.

The best hope for Washington to win this game is that Chase Young wreaks absolute havoc on Tom Brady, and the theory that night games where Brady and the Bucs went 1-3 this season -- remember when he forgot the downs? -- are past his bedtime. Let's see if Washington can turn the game into a rock fight.