3 areas of improvement for Commanders QB Sam Howell in Week 2 at Broncos
By Dean Jones
What areas of improvement surround Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell ahead of his competitive NFL road debut at the Denver Broncos?
Sam Howell marked his first game as the confirmed Washington Commanders starting quarterback with a morale-boosting victory in front of a sold-out crowd at FedEx Field. It was a mixed bag overall from the signal-caller, but he came through when it counted to send the bumper audience in attendance home with smiles on their faces.
Howell would be the first to admit that it wasn't perfect. But considering the occasion's magnitude and his lack of experience, nobody expected it to be completely smooth sailing.
Bigger tests are also coming for Howell and the Commanders. These begin with a tough trip to the high altitude of Denver, which is sure to be a hostile atmosphere and also represents Sean Payton's first regular season game as Broncos head coach to boot.
It'll be tough, there's no getting away from that. But here are three areas of improvement for Howell in pursuit of propelling the Commanders to a second-straight triumph in 2023.
Sam Howell must trust his progressions
Getting sacked six times wasn't ideal. Some of it was on the offensive line despite their promising start, but a couple were down to the former fifth-round pick holding onto the football for too long and not trusting his progressions.
Once Howell sees a legitimate opening, he needs to start pulling the trigger. This makes things easier for the protection and also gives his primary pass-catchers a better chance of making things happen in terms of timing.
Not trusting his progressions and on-field vision leads to errors in judgment and unnecessary sacks when pressure arrives. The Denver Broncos will bring plenty of heat to see what the second-year-pro is made of, which is something Eric Bienemy must also be wary of when devising his scheme.