Which Washington Commanders news stories are hitting the headlines after their hard-fought victory at the New England Patriots in Week 9?
After a dramatic week that centered on two shocking departures, the Washington Commanders demonstrated their resolve to get themselves back in the win column. It wasn't pretty at times, but a late interception from rookie Quan Martin sealed a hugely important triumph that kept their slim hopes of postseason football alive.
There is a lot of hard work ahead, but it's nice to celebrate a Victory Monday nevertheless. After the game, the stories causing debate include Ron Rivera's assessment, Magic Johnson's delight, Sam Howell's reflection, and an early look at the Commanders' chances in Week 10 at the Seattle Seahawks.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Commanders at Seahawks early odds for Week 10
The Washington Commanders have some newfound momentum from which to build. However, taking anything for granted heading into the hostile environment Lumen Field provides would be extremely foolish.
According to the latest odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, the Commanders are 6.0-point underdogs at the Seattle Seahawks in Week 10 despite Pete Carroll's men suffering a heavy loss to the Baltimore Ravens last time out. This is available at -110 whichever side of the points spread that takes your fancy (bet $110 to win $100).
Anyone brave enough to wager Washington on the money line can them with odds of +200 attached (bet $100 to win $200). Seattle is favored to bounce back on home soil at -245 (bet $245 to win $100).
DraftKings Sportsbook has set the over/under at 44.5 points. This is available at -110 in both directions.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Commanders owner Magic Johnson's delight
Josh Harris' ownership group is beginning to involve themselves in football matters after taking the first few months of their tenure to assess everything associated with the Washington Commanders from top to bottom. Pressure mounted as a result, but securing an important victory at the New England Patriots provides some semblance of hope when all seemed lost just a few short days ago.
This character and resolve did not go unnoticed by limited partner Magic Johnson. The basketball icon and business mogul took to social media to declare his delight, praising coaches and players alike for digging deep in the face of adversity.
"I’m very happy with my Commanders win over the Patriots! Players stepped up on both sides of the ball and played consistent in the entire fourth quarter. Coach Rivera had the team ready to play and Coach Eric Bieniemy called an excellent game! He was creative on offense and switched between runs and passes. QB Sam Howell did well executing the game plan. He threw for over 300 yards, his third game this season. I want to give a special shoutout to our receivers! They were excellent and caught just about everything Howell threw their way today. Our offensive line stepped up big this week and the defense played a solid game. Jartavius Martin's interception sealed the victory for the team!"Magic Johnson via X/Twitter
While this was only one win, it's something to build upon. But make no mistake, Harris, Johnson, and others will be watching intently in the coming weeks before making conclusions about the team's long-term future.
Commanders HC Ron Rivera's assessment
All eyes were on how the Washington Commanders would approach things from a defensive standpoint after trading Montez Sweat and Chase Young before the deadline. This was a bombshell in no uncertain terms, but the Washington Commanders felt it was the right thing to do and in keeping with their long-term plans for prosperity.
This brought opportunities for others on the defensive line. Casey Toohill and James Smith-Williams started the game, with rookie fifth-rounder K.J. Henry denied his first sack by an egregious personal foul that was nothing short of disgraceful.
Couple this with an exceptional performance from Washington's secondary, and it's not hard to see why head coach Ron Rivera was relatively pleased with what he saw overall based on comments via Sports Illustrated.
"I thought they went out and played with a lot of energy, they did some good things, but (there are) some things that obviously they're going to have to clean up and get better with. I thought the guys we tried to rotate in did some nice things."Ron Rivera via Sports Illustrated
This was a step in the right direction defensively. It wasn't easy at times, but the Commanders found a way to get the job done - something they've been criticized for on occasion during an indifferent 2023 campaign to date.
Whether they can keep this up heading into a daunting run of games is another matter.
Commanders QB Sam Howell's seal of approval
It's clear there is some genuine momentum building around Sam Howell. The Washington Commanders quarterback turned in another high-caliber performance overall at the New England Patriots, throwing for more than 300 yards and moving to No. 2 in the league standings where this particular statistical category is concerned.
Senior figures in the building are starting to believe Howell might be the guy whether the current coaching regime stays or not. This is a sentiment also echoed by veteran defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, who stated via Ben Standig of The Athletic that the former fifth-round selection out of North Carolina has all the traits normally associated with great signal-callers.
"He’s our future. He’s our quarterback. Not only does he make great plays on the field, his demeanor after bad plays and not playing well, he’s always able to bounce back. And I’ve seen a lot of great quarterbacks in my time, played against a lot of them, and I think he has the potential to be one of them."Jonathan Allen via The Athletic
Howell did throw a costly red-zone interception, which wasn't ideal. However, his ability to shake off adversity and come out of the other end swinging is a testament to the player's character, supreme talent, and will to succeed.
If the same trend continues in the coming weeks, it's hard to envisage a scenario where Howell isn't the Commanders' starting quarterback in 2024 at the very least.