Washington Commanders QB Sam Howell 'Putting Things Together!' Says Ron Rivera
The Washington Commanders raised eyebrows in the preseason when they announced Sam Howell as their starting quarterback. There were a lot of skeptics around the decision, but through 10 games of the season, that decision looks somewhat justified.
Now, the Commanders' offense is by far the finished product, but the one beacon of light in what has been a 4-6 start is the growth shown by Howell.
He currently has 2,783 passing yards (leads the NFL), 17 touchdowns (joint fifth), and nine interceptions as he adapts to not only being an NFL starter but also a new system that Eric Bieniemy is trying to implement.
What is rather interesting is that out of Washington's 10 games this season, eight have been one-score games, and the Commanders are 4-4 in those games. So, for a bounce here or a piece of luck there, Howell could have had his team in a different position.
Against the Seattle Seahawks, Howell showed both the good and bad of his game as he led the Commanders on a late fourth-quarter drive to tie the game, but he also had a period where the offense punted on three straight possessions.
The Commanders might just have found their franchise quarterback in Sam Howell.
Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports
“I think he's gotten to a point where he's [Howell] done a lot of good things,” Head coach Ron Rivera said. “He's putting a lot of things together. He is still growing, he's still learning. And by no means is he there. I think it was like three or four series in a row, and we had an opportunity to convert as an offense, and we didn't. So, some of that has to happen.
"You've got to be able to be consistent throughout the game, start fast, play smart, finish strong. That's what we've got to be able to do. And in that little lull where it's three or four series in a row where we're going out after three or four snaps, we've got to be more consistent with that. And that's all part of the growth as well.”
So there are still growing pains with Howell, but let's not forget, he only has 11 career starts, so there is still much room for growth.
But has Washington found its quarterback for the next decade?
While it is too early to tell definitively, Howell is off to a good start, and maybe, just maybe, while the franchise ushers in a new era of ownership, they might just be seeing the start of an era where Howell becomes the franchise quarterback they have been crying out for.
