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Taylor Heinicke replaces injured QB Fitzpatrick, welcomed to game by Terry McLaurin wonder catch

Taylor Heinicke is getting his first game action a lot sooner than he thought. The 28-year-old Washington Football Team backup quarterback had to take over on the field at the end of the first quarter when starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick left the game after sustaining a hip injury.

Fitzpatrick needed the trainers on the field after taking this massive hit from Los Angeles Chargers outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu at the start of the second quarter.

Fitzpatrick was able to walk off the field on his own, and gave a few words of encouragement to Heinicke before heading to the locker room.

The team announced that Fitzpatrick suffered a hip injury, and was at first questionable to return. During halftime, Washington downgraded him to out for the rest of the game.

Terry McLaurin's mind-blowing catch

In the first drive of the second half, wide receiver Terry McLaurin gave Heinicke a major boost of confidence with this absolutely mind-blowing circus catch that went viral the minute it happened. McLaurin managed to catch the ball on the run through the hands of a Chargers player while contorting his body. It's other-worldly stuff.

First, McLaurin had to escape a Chargers player who was actually grabbing at him. Clear of that guy, he starts looking back over his shoulder to track the ball while running. As the ball comes in, another Chargers player jumps in from out of nowhere, his arms out to make the interception. The ball goes through his hands and into the waiting arms of McLaurin, who had to contort his body nearly 180 degrees while in the air to make the catch.

McLaurin's catch was for 37 yards, and Heinicke found Logan Thomas in the end zone on the very next play for Washington's first touchdown of the game.