Commanders to Start Sam Howell Over Taylor Heinicke, Carson Wentz
Editors’ note, Jan. 4, 1:39 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to reflect that coach Ron Rivera announced Sam Howell as the Commanders’ starter against the Cowboys.
One week after reinserting Carson Wentz into the starting quarterback role—and summarily being eliminated from the playoffs with a 24–10 loss to the Browns—the Commanders are once again set to make a switch at the quarterback position.
On Wednesday afternoon, coach Ron Rivera announced that rookie quarterback Sam Howell, a fifth-round pick out of North Carolina, will make his NFL debut and start Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. Taylor Heinicke will serve as his backup.
The news comes after ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the team was expected to turn back to Heinicke for the game. Evidently, the team has gone in a different direction.
Wentz does not appear to be in the team’s plans at all, after Washington’s elimination from the playoff race last weekend.
Wentz struggled in his return to the lineup, completing 16-of-28 passes for just 143 yards and three interceptions. He did score the team’s lone touchdown on the ground.
On the year, the former Eagles and Colts quarterback is just 2–5 in seven starts. Heinicke, meanwhile, has found more success, leading the team to a 5-3-1 record. In nine games, he threw for 1,859 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions, throwing for more yards per attempt, and a higher touchdown rate and lower interception rate than Wentz on the year.
Instead of opting for one of those two veterans, though, Rivera will see what Howell has against the team’s NFC East rival. The No. 144 pick in last year’s NFL draft, he was a two-time All-ACC selection during his three seasons in Chapel Hill. Howell threw for 10,283 yards, 92 touchdowns and 23 interceptions, and ran for an additional 1,009 yards and 17 touchdowns in 37 games for the Tar Heels.
Commanders (7-8-1) vs. the playoff-bound Cowboys (12–4) kicks off at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday.
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