4 key Sam Howell observations at the Commanders' 2023 midseason point

Commanders always have a chance with Sam Howell

Starting slowly has been a thorn in the Washington Commanders' side more often than not in 2023. This has piled additional pressure on quarterback Sam Howell and forced offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy into abandoning the run often in pursuit of keeping his team in games.

This is a challenge Howell's taken on with his customary determination and flawless demeanor. It doesn't matter if the Commanders are five or 15 points behind, they always seem to have a chance with the ex-Tar Heel under center.

Howell can move the football downfield quickly. His arm is live and his decision-making has also enhanced considerably in recent weeks, although cutting out costly turnovers is the next step in the player's ongoing development to avoid any unnecessary complications.

On countless occasions this season, Howell's brought the Commanders back from the brink. Sometimes that's not possible - such as the Thursday Night Football debacle against the Chicago Bears - but the quarterback is always fighting and never gets too flustered whether things are going well or not.

This is a sign of consistent growth and in keeping with what we see from the high-end players at the position league-wide. There's a long way to go for Howell, but he's making full use of the weapons at his disposal and seems to have flourished over the last fortnight with better protection from the offensive line.