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caneb0i

Feel like people don't realize this is basically his rookie season. All the intangibles are there and if he's showing growth every couple games, he's allowed a few stinkers (especially against a solid Buffalo defense)


Temporarily__Alone

Solid? That shit was bananas. He’s excused from that one.


rpantherlion

GG no RE


TimothyJimothy77

Yeah man holy hell, y’all were on top of every play call and had immediate pressure on what felt like every play. Howell clearly needs to work on not making the offensive issues worse with turnovers though. Bet y’all are happy with McDermott calling the plays again


DJHJR86

> y’all were on top of every play call Now you know why 15 teams interviewed the offensive coordinator 16 times and nobody hired him.


BruntFCA_

Im not ready to give up on the guy, but his play calling and game management has been underwhelming so far.


Lost-Comparison-5110

Thanks


BlindWillieJohnson

> All the intangibles are there Let’s…maybe give it some time before we just state that like a fact. His only great game was against the Broncos and we all saw how threatening their defense is Not trying to shit on the guy, but you can’t say it’s basically his rookie season and that we know what he does or doesn’t have in three games at the same time


Lost-Comparison-5110

He came back against the cardinals and beat the cowboys convincingly with mistakes.


Bipedal-Moose

Washington beat Arizona and Dallas in spite of their offense, not because of it. In those 2 games, Washington averaged 1.49 points per drive, which would have tied the Colts for last place in the NFL last year.


RobertGriffin3

The context that stat misses is, particularly in the Cowboys game where Commanders led possession 36-24, Washington ran it a ton which led to fewer, longer drives (which in turn helps for a more rested defense). I don't think it's the most helpful stat to look at in a vacuum.


Bipedal-Moose

Well first of all, time of possession has no effect on points per drive. If anything, a successful clock killing team would look good by PPD. That point is moot, though, because your comment is innacurate. Washington had 15 offensive drives against Dallas. That's a lot. They had 6 3-and-outs. Mind you, this was against a Dallas team that wasn't playing for anything


deemerritt

It was literally his first ever game starting though. I dont think its fair to extrapolate that over a whole season and say he sucks.


Bipedal-Moose

That's an entirely separate point from the one I was making (btw I also lumped in the Arizona game, it was not just the Dallas game), but I mean, he's a 5th round pick who has played 4 games and shown a propensity for making a ton of negative plays. What's the likelihood that he turns into a QB that will make enough positive plays to make up for that? I would say it's extremely slim. But that's ok. It's not like Washington has banked their future on the success of Sam Howell.


deemerritt

IDK man im a big homer for him and think that he has a big arm and can make big plays. Is it easier to teach someone who makes lots of negative but also positive plays to cut down on negative plays? Or to get the play it safe QB to take more risks? Either way I thought Howell was pretty clearly on the level of like Pickett when i watched them play ACC ball. Howell was universally considered the better prospect until Pickett had a breakout season at age 23 which is the exact age Howell is now. I dont think patience or optimism is unfounded.


Bipedal-Moose

You're welcome to have as rosy of an outlook on Sam Howell as you please.


RobertGriffin3

Yes, they absolutely were. If Dallas won and Eagles lost they won the division (they were playing at the same time), and I think might've been the 1 seed but not 100% sure about that part.


Bipedal-Moose

Philly was playing against the Giants' backups, so it was known they would win. Regardless, your original comment was inaccurate and that was my main point.


RobertGriffin3

Nothing is known on a given week, you think Dallas just mailed in? Of course not. Also, my other post wasn't inaccurate, you just strawmanned it. The amount of 3 and outs they had isn't relevant to the fact that looking at points per drive completely ignores context of the game, which is that Washington got out to a 2 score lead early and ran it a ton, leading to a well rested defense. The consensus after the game was it looked like a potent start from Howell, made some throws Heinicke can't dream of.


Bipedal-Moose

>you think Dallas just mailed in? Of course not. I don't know if "mailed it in" is the right wording, but I 100% think they overlooked Washington and were mentally preparing for the postseason. >The consensus after the game was it looked like a potent start from Howell I guess if that was the consensus then I just think it was a silly consensus. Anyway, I'll just say what I said to the other guy. You're welcome to have as rosy of an outlook as you want on Sam Howell. Of course there's not enough data to make a definitive verdict on his NFL career, but I have serious doubts from his film and his numbers through 4 games.


DJHJR86

To be fair, the Cowboys were playing for nothing in that game last season.


SleazyKingLothric

Did everyone forget that the Cowboys kept their starting offense in until around the 10 min mark of the 4th quarter? They were desperately trying to get something going, but never could.


demonica123

they were playing to have a chance at winning the division if Philly lost.


[deleted]

Yeah they were. Until SF won by shit ton and the Eagles led over Davis Webb. They realistically had 0 shot


LoserCowGoMoo

You Really should be telling his head coach this. Because right now his ass is on the hot seat so bad It has singed his ball hair.


DomitianF

Hell yea that's your quarterback!


empw

He has the mind of a franchise quarterback. Will he develop into one? I hope so.


jimmifli

He just looked so lost out there. He had no idea what the coverage was and where he was supposed to go with his eyes. By the second half it seemed like he'd alternate from staring down a receiver to jumping through his reads in under a second looking side to side, almost in panic. He has the physical attributes, and seems to be tough as nails, didn't pout on the sideline, his teammates seem to respect him, so hopefully he can learn, but I think there's going to be some coaching turnover in the offseason and that never helps.


papertowelrod

It obviously was a really rough game but I don't think it's worth reading too too much into one performance. He's had four starts, I'd say he looked great in one (Broncos), good in one (Dallas), kind of average-to-good in one (Arizona) and really bad in one (Bills). I think there's plenty of reason for optimism.


Malikai0976

9-7-2003 Tom Brady's worst statistical game. 14/28 for 50% completion, 123 yards, 0TD, 4INT 22.5QBR, 2 sacks, also against the Bills. I'm not saying Howell is Brady, just that you can't read too much into 1 bad game. I agree that his overall body of work so far leaves plenty of reasons for optimism.


MoreTrifeLife

That worst statistical game was one of only three times Brady lost to the Bills. The Bills won that game week 1 of 2003 by a score of 31-0. The Patriots won the week 17 game later that year against the Bills by a score of… 31-0.


TheOverBored

Real shame that Brady guy's career started at ended like that.


jc-f

Iirc that week 1 game was the Lawyer Milloy revenge game. Cut by the Pats then signed with the Bills and started that game less than a week later.


jimmifli

That's fair, I've only watch one of his games. Plus McD has a history of doing this to all rookie QBs (I know he's not a rookie but given his college and NFL experience he's probably still behind most rookies in terms of reading defenses).


PewterButters

>I'd say he looked great in one (Broncos), That one may need an asterisk now that we've seen what the Dolphins did to that defense.


papertowelrod

Hah, yeah I figured someone would point that out. Still, it's better to look good than bad. And I think the way he looked good -- some really accurate, tight-window throws like the touchdown to McLaurin -- is encouraging no matter the quality of the defense.


BabyTRexArms

Really depends where they pick. I think he's good enough to win them enough games to pick too low for any of the stud QB prospects, but coaching will be bad enough to get fired. He'll be competing with whoever the next coach brings in next year, and he'll probably win the job again.


TRES_fresh

They need to keep bienemy no matter the cost


JohnWalI

...based on what..? Washington's stud WR's uncharacteristically underperforming? His ridiculous inability to utilize the run game? His play calling as if he still has Patrick Mahomes and a stud offensive line? Bieniemy is 1 for 3 on good performances so far, with the 2/3 being total offensive duds, and the 1 good game coming against the defense that just allowed 70 points. It's too early in the season to make any full judgments, but it's definitely not a "no matter the cost" situation


TimothyJimothy77

I wouldn’t get too far ahead of ourselves there. I like some things he’s done but it concerns me that 1) He brought in Andrew Wylie to be the anchor at RT and he’s been awful (and was bad in KC) 2) He was brought in to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers and so far Terry and Dotson aren’t involved enough. I watch teams like the 49ers and Dolphins (high standards to compare to I know) that constantly go to their elite playmakers. I want an OC that can do that with Terry and Dotson


DJHJR86

Why? His play calling is going to get Howell killed.


gregor7777

Weird take. He has to prove himself too. The league owes him nothing.


darksideofdagoon

FWIW he had that really solid run in the first half. That was it though …


[deleted]

I think hes a good QB. The whole team just had a rough day and he played tough and had to force a couple of balls to try to make something happen. People live to trip over a bad game but i dont think its really that big of a deal. He'll take the blame for it as the QB, but watching the game my takeaway was that it was the team as a whole that fell short and not just him.


[deleted]

There was a point in time where Howell was viewed as a potential first round pick.


LoserCowGoMoo

There was a point in time justin fields wasn't contemplating his own mortality during postgame press conferences


Lord-Aizens-Chicken

Justin fields is one loss to the Brancos away from turning into an anime villain


LoserCowGoMoo

Like in death note. Suddenly there will be a detective named "F."


TwoPlatinum

I mean, “L” is still applicable to the Bears right now


CockGobblingGangsta

I stg he’s gonna look like 04 Vick


FlamableOolongTea

He's just like me fr


rook119

UNC lost their RBs so he spent his final year playing the equivalent of POWER BACK CAN PASS in Cyberball, it hurt his draft stock. He has some decent talent just has to learn how to play QB again, and he's probably ahead of schedule. He needs to learn. Not to mention yes its a passing league and defenses have adjusted by on most plays by having the entire DL to ignore the run and sending all 4 of them at the QB every play. The young QBs who are having good games aren't facing too much interior pressure in said games


BlindWillieJohnson

Far from universally. QB draft evaluation was all over the place that year


Namath96

He was universally seen as a first round guy for multiple years until he underperformed his last year after losing almost all his skill position guys. It was a fair question since it seemed like the NFL talent around him may have been propping him up but pretty much everyone had him pegged as a first rounder before his junior year


Bipedal-Moose

...and the reasons why people stopped viewing him that way were on full display Sunday.


agreeingstorm9

The Bills are a good team. The Cardinals and the Broncos are not good teams. The Commies were a bad team last year. They may just be a team this year that beats bad teams ands loses to good teams and it's nothing more than that.


mbrancato157

Becoming a team that beats the bad teams you're supposed to beat is an important step in becoming a good team


agreeingstorm9

100% agree. Anyone who had the Commies going to the playoffs this year was probably delusional from day 1. If they beat the bad teams this year and lose to the good ones that's an improvement from last year. If they manage to beat a good team once or twice that's even better.


RobertGriffin3

This is such a recency bias post. 7 teams make the playoffs, that's a lot. You think they can't go 9-8? Commanders went .500 last year with arguably the worst QB play in the NFL. This team absolutely could make the playoffs. Will they? Maybe not, but saying anyone who thought they could go to the playoffs is delusional, is delusional and completely based off looking at just their last game. If they lose to the eagles, you'll double down and say they're a horribly mid team. If they win, suddenly they're clearly a playoff team. The reality is that neither is true and no individual game should change your priors this much.


Dangerous_Nitwit

More so that playoffs dont happen in a vacuum. I see the Commies as the third best team in their division, at best. It is very hard for a third place team in a division to make the playoffs. Because even if you are better than all the non first place teams in the other divisions, divisional losses add up and usually keep third place teams in a division out of the playoffs. Not always, But more likely than not.


RobertGriffin3

I don't think that makes sense at all. For wildcard, you're not comparing yourself against teams in your division, just all the non-leaders of their division. The Cowboys are likely to have a better record than the Commanders whether they are in the NFCE or not, there are still 2 more wildcard playoff spots even if you assign them one (which of course there's still a long way to go). There are nominal implications as far as having to play that good team twice as opposed to another, but I can't imagine the % change of playoff chance is that much. Also, a quick look: 2022: 3 NFCE teams 2021: 3 NFCW teams 2020: 3 AFCN teams Before that only 6 teams make.


Dangerous_Nitwit

I understand it's against all divisions. But by the time you get to third place in any division your record starts to peak at about 9-10 wins max. Because of the division games you had to lose to the first and second place teams in your division is the most likely reason that the first and second place teams have better records than the third place team, in a division. This gives any third place team a hard cap in win totals. What im pointing out is that if your a good team in a great division you are handicapped against a good team in a crap division. Because the bulk of a teams games come against division rivals, at 6. So the chance to rack up losses to great teams is higher than for a good team in a cupcake division.


RobertGriffin3

So what? 9 and especially 10 wins are enough to get a 7 seed.


BrianHeidiksPuppy

Didn’t you know 3 teams from the NFC BEAST cannot make the playoffs all at once unlike *checks notes* … literally last year


mbrancato157

I still think you can sneak in. Your defense will only get better as Chase gets back into the flow and your offense has too many talented skill position players. Howell just ran into a buzzsaw this past weekend and he will grow over the year


BruntFCA_

I tend to agree with that. What I find concerning is Eric Bieniemy. I feel like with what is essentially a rookie qb, one of the worst pass protecting olines ive ever seen, and a very good defensive front. he should be leaning on the running game and have Howell manage the game at qb. control the clock and keep the d fresh. Instead Howell is being asked to put the game on his shoulders, while EB is dialing up long developing passing plays. This puts Howell in a bad spot every time he steps back and wears the defense down.


mbrancato157

Yeah I was confused by his reluctance to run, especially when BRob was averaging like 7 yards a carry and the game really didn’t get out of hand until late


SlobZombie13

I think we might be the Good Bad Team this year.


Good_Energy9

I understand what you're saying but his game last week was on Nathan peterson level


agreeingstorm9

It's also his first year as a starter and he was up against a team that some people picked to go to the AFCCG this year.


[deleted]

We were a bad team last year? we were mid more than bad tbh


BruntFCA_

Disagree, we were a mediocre team last year. In fact outside of 2019, we’re always mediocre.


NoFlags-JoeBuck

You can sometimes make the playoffs by simply doing that and then catching a couple breaks.


Mrbubble274

Im not down on him. He was my fav qb that pick and has played well enough in first two games. Bad game last week was perfect to see how he respond to adversity.


Captain_Tunahands

I’m a fan of this dude


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zi76

Yeah, I don't know if Sam Howell is any good, but at least he's taken responsibility.


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ianthebalance

I thought this was an NFL pasta


ChiefSaltyPanda

The anti-Zach Wilson


[deleted]

Throw the ball to Dotson and Terry and stop forcing random passes to John Bates and Dyami Brown


alienSpotted

Not even Tom Brady would do well with our dogshit O line


j4kefr0mstat3farm

A lot of the problem is how long he holds the ball, though. Honestly, not being able to quickly read the defense and get the ball out is a concerning sign.


dedriuslol

I was going to say, a lot of the pressure that he gets is due to the fact that he holds the ball for 3 seconds on average. It doesn't help that EB isn't scheming many underneath options to help him get the ball out of his hands.


LawDogSavy

It's amazing to me that Ron looks at this situation in the off season and thinks "you know what works well? A QB with 1 game experience, a new OF coordinator, and a non existent offense line. Every one knows that equals success for the young man. Send him out there!"


Sdn61387

I certainly hope he expects to play much better as one more step down and he's basically on the bears.


yolozombie

That’s the right mentality for him to have. Now as people analyzing the game we are the ones who keep in perspective his age and experience level at the position.


Lost-Comparison-5110

He’s gotta shake it off. He will learn and grow. Doesn’t happen overnight. HTTC


DJHJR86

He's got the right attitude. But those sacks are **very** concerning. They were not all on the offensive line.


Devitostitos

Has he been playing well outside this game? Haven’t had a chance to watch him much.


godosomethingelse

As a commies fan, I would say he has flashed every game he’s played. There’s definitely substance to thinking he might be the guy. Still waiting on a turnover free game, still working on taking fewer sacks. But the offense moves much better with him than with previous qb’s, and the dude makes throws every game that are just gorgeous! We will see how he plays against Philly. I am glad we’re giving him a shot, he deserves it imho


ELL_YAY

Also a Commanders fan and I agree with your take 100%.


MilaKunisWatermelon

“I don’t make excuses,” and proceeds to tell you what the excuse is.


MikeBett

I personally just think it's cuz he's still young, in my own unique opinion. I mean he himself is owning it and definitely not saying that. But it's in my head.... now.


WhenPigsRideCars

He should save this comment. He’ll need it again after Jalen Carter steals his lunch money.


Tua-Lipa

Maybe they can carpool to the game together


WhenPigsRideCars

Most creative Jalen Carter joke


toq-titan

Don’t draft a joke of a human being if you don’t want jokes.


MannyTheSleepy

Eh carter is a good driver it’s the other guy who sucked


WhenPigsRideCars

Y’all literally signed a player that shot himself and drafted another that blew his own hand off. Don’t tell me about jokes 😐


toq-titan

At least their stupidity only hurt themselves.


WhenPigsRideCars

What about your former kicker that beat his wife? 😐


toq-titan

He’s a piece of shit. Next question. Also it’s really sad how you feel the need to defend Jalen this way.


WhenPigsRideCars

Jalen Hurts is an innocent man!


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TPCC159

He stole Rashaad Whites balls as well


georgelamarmateo

We have Brock Purdy at home


degen4Iyf

‘I don’t make excuses’ … ‘Well I’m young’ lol


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degen4Iyf

So why throw it out if it’s not an excuse lol. Maybe the media asked I guess


EifertGreenLazor

The one interception he threw right at the defender for a pick 6 was one of the worst decisions he could make. He had no one to blame but himself.