What were some major observations from Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell's performance against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3?
After masterminding a sensational comeback victory at the Denver Broncos, another stiff test awaited Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell in Week 3. The Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen descended on a sold-out FedEx Field for an intriguing matchup between two in-form teams, which was a solid measuring stick for the former fifth-round selection against one of the league's best at the position.
Momentum seems to be building around Howell right out of the gate. He's making tough throws downfield look easy and Eric Bieniemy is scheming things up superbly for his gunslinger specific to the situation for good measure.
This was a big challenge looking at the standard of opposition. As it turned out, Howell wasn't able to keep the magic going as Washington were beaten for the first time this season against a strong Buffalo outfit.
With that being said, here are four major observations from Howell's performance against the Bills in Week 3.
Sam Howell's early hesitancy
While Sam Howell had some quality moments early in the game, one fatal flaw continues to hold him back. There is some real hesitancy when his first or second reads aren't available, which leads to holding the football for too long and inviting pressure.
This was evident on all three sacks in the first quarter. One could make a strong case for Howell being responsible for each takedown thanks to his reluctance to pull the trigger or simply throw the football away - something that needs to be brushed up at the earliest possible opportunity.
Howell can rid himself of this complication with more experience, one suspects. But this was another harsh lesson during the opening exchanges.