5 winners and losers from the Commanders embarrassing loss vs. Bears in Week 5

Winner No. 1

Sam Howell - Commanders QB

For all the doom and gloom surrounding another woeful home outing from the Washington Commanders, there was one positive to take. The second-half showing by quarterback Sam Howell, to be precise.

It was a difficult opening for Howell through no real fault of his own. Two stalled drives and the Chicago Bears coming out all guns blazing put the signal-caller in a hole he was unable to get out of despite his best efforts after the half-time interval.

Howell didn't have a running game to call upon given the hefty deficit, but he saw the field well, made things happen on the move, and was largely accurate at all three levels. This resulted in 388 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a passer rating of 99.1.

At least Howell looks the part. The same cannot be said for the offensive line and a defensive unit that came into the campaign as supposedly vaunted, but fans can relax safe in the knowledge they finally have someone under center capable of making things happen.

Of course, the result is all that matters. Howell takes no solace from his own personal performance when the team is struggling to put a consistent run of results together, with the former fifth-round pick stating after the game that it must be a collective effort to put things right.

Easier said than done, obviously. But it's a testament to Howell's improving leadership that he's taking this approach when in all honesty, he's being let down.