5 huge disappointments from the Commanders loss at LA Rams in Week 15

Commanders had so many what ifs

This game was frustrating because it resulted in lots of “what if” questions.

What if Ron Rivera went for two? What if Daron Payne lined up at the defensive end spot more often, because he sure looked good out there? And the most obvious one: What is Jacoby Brissett had been the Commanders' quarterback all season. Would things be different today?

I don’t think so, because I have seen backups give quick boosts before, only to falter. The fact is, the Los Angeles Rams had prepared for Sam Howell, and they seemed to back off their pressure with the game seemingly in hand in the fourth quarter.

Terry McLaurin made a sensational catch on an underthrown deep ball for one score and drew a pass interference to set up the other. Still, Brissett deserves a lot of credit for getting the ball deep - something Howell has been unable to do of late.

He looked poised and he had control of the offense. Most importantly - they scored.

This season had to be about finding out what Howell was capable of, and I think he has shown off some real potential. He has also shown some real problems. That’s okay. I do not ultimately think the Commanders were wrong to hand him the reins and stick with him.

But that doesn’t stop it from being maddening. Does Washington beat the New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks if Brissett is playing? Are they still alive in this most open playoff season? We’ll never know.