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Clean-shaven Sam Howell solidified his starting role in the NFL.
The Washington Commanders’ second-year quarterback had already been named the starter for the coming season, and he played at a high comfort level in the team’s 29-28 exhibition win over the Baltimore Ravens Monday night.
He led his team to a 17-14 halftime lead with a fabulous and familiar performance before turning the game over to his back-ups in the second half. And he looked more like a young QB at Carolina than the bearded veteran in the last of his three seasons when he ran the ball too much.
That drop-off after losing wide receivers Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome caused Howell to fall to the first pick of the fifth round in the 2021 NFL draft, where he had been slated much higher in his first two years in Chapel Hill.
He looked like THAT Sam Howell with only one misstep in the first half, taking a sack by holding the ball too long. Besides that, he played like the Howell we fell in love with in 2019, a pure passer who could also take off and run when necessary, but far from the vice versa as a junior.
Wearing No. 8 compared to No. 7 in college, Howell completed 19 of 25 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns, the second to his still-teammate Brown in a two-minute drill. He had a 123 QB rating for the half, compared to the Ravens’ back-up Josh Johnson, who hit 10 of 12 passes and finished with a 122 QBR before he too took a seat.
Howell was said to have had a great training camp, and he sure appeared comfortable in the new Washington offense of head coach Ron Rivera and Eric Bieniemy, who was the O-coordinator for the world champion Chiefs for the last five seasons.
Always looking for a downfield receiver, Howell had the patience and timing to find a secondary target and escape the pressure. His hurry-up drive at the end of the first half was a thing of beauty, out of time outs but still getting the ball into the red zone and eventually to Dyami, who made a catch in traffic.
Howell must have been very good to win the starting job after barely playing as a rookie. He beat out eight-year veteran Jacoby Brissett, the former N.C. State quarterback who had played for four other NFL teams and started for all of them.
Rivera said it doesn’t matter what round you are drafted in, only how you play when you get to training camp. And the old Tar Heel alum with the new baby face sure looks like an NFL keeper.
Featured image via Associated Press/Stephanie Scarbrough
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