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.
Sam Howell must protect the football
The Washington Commanders would have been in complete control of their Week 1 contest against the Arizona Cardinals had it not been for silly mistakes. Sam Howell found out to his cost that even the slightest error of judgment gets punished in the NFL, so protecting the football with more efficiency is absolutely imperative moving forward.
This bears more significance on the road. Something Howell has yet to experience during his professional career to date.
Mile High Stadium is notoriously loud and difficult to silence. If Howell gives away an unnecessary interception or fumble early and the Denver Broncos get ahead, the noise levels will reach exponential levels.
Howell's decision-making needs to be better. As previously stated, trusting his progressions is another big factor that could prove to be the difference between success and failure.
Eric Bieniemy will be preaching for Howell to take what the defense gives him. This is not a time for hero-type football - the Commanders must keep things relatively simple, rely on the running game, and take full advantage of red-zone opportunities when they present themselves.
If Howell and the offense can accomplish this and Washington's exceptional defense continues their fine start to the campaign, the Commanders have a chance. But should the North Carolina product cough up two turnovers as he did in Week 1, it could be a long afternoon for Ron Rivera's men.
Sam Howell must improve red-zone efficiency
The margin for error is always slimmer on the road. Sam Howell might be fearless in that sense considering he doesn't know any better, which is something the Washington Commanders hope works to their advantage in Week 2 at the Denver Broncos.
Howell has an outstanding support system led by head coach Ron Rivera and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Washington's offensive line showed enough early on to suggest that improvements can be made in this area over a full four quarters, and the passing weapons are plentiful if the signal-caller can put them in positions to excel.
One thing above all else could be the catalyst behind what would be a memorable Commanders' triumph on their travels. When Howell gets into the red zone, he has to convert these opportunities into substantial points.
Washington was 2-from-5 in red zone conversion rate against the Arizona Cardinals. That's 40 percent, which needs to increase versus a defense that'll be a much tougher proposition to overcome.
This is all about winning individual battles across the board. Terry McLaurin's clash with All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II will be mouth-watering, but the onus is also on Howell to make the right reads and adopt the sort of ruthless conviction that made him a superstar in 2020 at North Carolina.
If everything goes well for Howell and he makes the improvements in these specific categories, Week 2 could be his official coming out party.