What were some major observations from Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell's performance against the New York Giants in Week 11?
Sunday's game represented another chance for Sam Howell to stake his claim as the Washington Commanders starting quarterback in 2024 and beyond. He was also looking to avenge a loss earlier in the campaign where he was sacked six times en route to a disappointing 21.0 QBR at the New York Giants.
The Commanders had to win this one in pursuit of avoiding things spiraling out of control. They were heavily favored with sportsbooks, so the onus was on Howell to lead by example and drive Washington forward with a sold-out crowd watching intently.
As it turned out, the Commanders were once again undone by costly mistakes en route to a shocking loss. This moves them to 0-4 in the division, 4-7 overall, and their campaign in tatters.
With this in mind, here are four major observations from Howell's performance in Week 11 at FedEx Field.
Sam Howell's early confidence knock
It wasn't the best opening to the game for Sam Howell. The quarterback took a big hit when it would have been easier to slide after gaining a first down, which was swiftly followed by a deep interception intended for wide receiver Dyami Brown.
This knocked Howell's confidence throughout the first half. He was fortunate not to throw another pick in the second quarter and just didn't appear to have the same control in the pocket versus a stout New York Giants defensive line led by Dexter Lawrence.
Offensively, it was disjointed. And once again, it was almost as if the Commanders were playing down to their opposition.
Sam Howell's indifferent first half
One of Sam Howell's worst games this season came at the New York Giants. The quarterback didn't look comfortable dealing with Wink Martindale's exotic blitz packages and the same trend continued over the first half in this one.
The play-calling was more conservative than normal from Eric Bieniemy - especially after Howell's first interception. The explosive plays were few and far between, with only one notable effort to Logan Thomas representing any sort of highlight from the one-time Tar Heel.
Things just didn't click. Despite having plenty of game-film to go off, Martindale had all the answers and Howell couldn't seem to find the right poise or pre-snap recognition to make things happen consistently.
And yet, there was a glimmer of hope in the half's final stages.
Howell displayed his toughness to get into the end-zone at the end of a bruising run. But after getting the football back with just over a minute remaining, they were unable to make anything happen.
This was reflected in Howell's first-half statistics:
- 72.22 percent completion (5/10)
- 115 passing yards
- 0 touchdowns
- 1 interception
- 2 sacks against
- 16 rushing yards (1 TD)
- 65.7 passer rating (ESPN)
The Commanders were losing at the break, which isn't what many anticipated coming in as heavy favorites. But after Howell's late score, they were not out of it by any stretch of the imagination.
Sam Howell was erratic
Considering the improvements made by Sam Howell from a poise standpoint, it was surprising to see the signal-caller so erratic against the New York Giants. The composure that saw him flourish in recent weeks was replaced by hesitancy behind an offensive line that went through some significant complications versus the New York Giants' blitz-happy defense led by Wink Martindale.
Howell's decision-making suffers when he's under strain. This can be said of almost any quarterback, but the player does tend to put the football in harm's way rather than take the safe option - a sign that more development is needed whether pressure is arriving frequently or not.
Of course, Howell wasn't alone where suspect ball security was concerned. The Washington Commanders committed way too many turnovers in key moments - something that gave them a mountain to climb as their season threatened to spiral out of control.
These are the rollercoaster moments associated with inexperienced men under center. There were some nice moments from Howell - most notably from a pocket movement standpoint - but they were less fleeting than we've seen at any stage since Washington last went up against the Giants.
And yet, somehow, Howell had a chance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat late on...
Sam Howell's horror show
This was not Sam Howell's day. It began terribly and didn't get much better after that.
It was perhaps fitting that Howell ended arguably the worst game of his professional career with a pick-six. It was a torrid offensive display overall, but the quarterback carries the can and this raises some doubts as to whether or not he's the right guy.
The whole body of work indicates that's still the case. But Howell needs to top taking one step back when everything seems so positive - something that could also be said of the Washington Commanders franchise whenever they go up against supposedly inferior opposition.
Whether it's complacency or a lack of genuine preparation is debatable, But the execution on the offensive side of the football dictated perhaps taking the result for granted rather than properly focusing on the task at hand.
That's unacceptable whichever way one looks at it.
The Commanders are now 4-7 with the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins upcoming. Howell's development has quickly become the most important remaining objective, which is a sorry state of affairs considering Washington's failure to generate a winning record during Ron Rivera's head coaching tenure.
Howell is still auditioning for the QB1 job under the new regime, which seems likelier with every passing loss. However, this is not a game he'll want to remember with any great fondness.