Commanders News: Sam Howell, Ron Rivera, Emmanuel Forbes and Magic Johnson

Commanders QB Sam Howell's resolve

If there was one positive to take from such a demoralizing loss on home soil versus a team that had the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft beforehand, the performance of Sam Howell would be it. The quarterback recovered from an indifferent first half to give the Washington Commanders a fighting chance of an unlikely comeback at one stage, but Joey Slye's missed field goal coupled with yet more defensive frailties put the contest out of sight.

Howell finished the game with a 72.54 percent completion percentage from 51 passes for 388 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 99.1. It wasn't perfect, but it was another sign of the former fifth-round pick's resolve when things around him were crumbling.

The North Carolina product cut a forlorn figure after the contest when speaking with the media. After being asked about where the Commanders go from here, Howell gave a short but sharp response regarding his firm belief in this group of players via Clutch points.

"We’re not panicking, We know the team we can be."

- Sam Howell via Clutch Points

The Commanders and Howell might not be pressing the panic button just yet, but sitting at 2-3 following an impressive start, the margin for error is slimmer than ever before. Unless things start progressing positively - especially on defense - heads could roll with Josh Harris' ownership group looking to stamp their mark on the franchise.