3 major observations from Sam Howell's performance at the Broncos in Week 2

Sam Howell's deep ball

If the Washington Commanders went with a more conservative approach in terms of finding ways to accumulate chunk plays in Week 1, that wasn't the case this time around. Eric Bieniemy called a sensational game on offense, relying heavily on screens and also giving Sam Howell plenty of freedom to put his deep ball accuracy to good use.

This was one of the brightest traits surrounding Howell coming out of college. His performance against the Denver Broncos was littered with jaw-dropping, NFL-caliber throws that were nothing short of breathtaking considering the magnitude of adversity facing the quarterback with a heavy deficit to overcome.

The weapons are there for Howell to continue this trend moving forward. Terry McLaurin got his first touchdown of the season, Dyami Brown got some looks, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel are always a threat, and the gunslinger's elite pass to tight end John Bates was also among the glittering highlights from a truly exceptional performance.

Washington placed a significant amount of faith in Howell this season. Many questioned whether this would be the gamble that costs Ron Rivera his job, but all signs currently point to the signal-caller potentially becoming the Commnaders' long-term answer at football's most critical position.

This is a week-to-week league and fortunes can change in the blink of an eye. But if Howell continues to build confidence and maximizes opportunities for big gains when they arrive, the sky's the limit.