Sam Howell was benched two weeks ago for the game, then last week from starting, but ended up taking every snap in the loss to the 49ers after Jacoby Brissett was hurt.
So, did all of that light a spark under Howell, who was 17-of-28 for 168 yards, one TD, and two interceptions?
“I don't think that had any impact on him, and I didn't think about once they went back to him. This is football, and it happens a lot where people are told they're gonna do something, something goes wrong, and then the person is back into the action,” BMitch said. “I think a quarterback of all people needs to be ready for just about anything. Look at cornerbacks; some good ones get beat for 70 yards, and the next play, they’re right back at it talking trash. He needs to be ready to play, because if it affects him, then that's going to be something that they gonna also be judging them based off of.”
“I thought Sam was...honestly, he started with the same shakiness that we'd been seeing for the last few weeks, and then it almost seemed like something like clicked back on for him,” JP replied. “When he connected with Brian Robinson just on the little dump off, it was like he remembered he can get rid of it fast, and then he found Terry, and that was a really good drive.”
But…
“He throws a red zone pick, and it was 20-10 I think, but they’re still in the game even if they just get there there,” JP said. “But that pick was the dagger, and then it was like he was pressing and threw the next one, and that was kind of it at that point. I was glad to see Sam bounce back from like the real lows we had seen, but the numbers are what they are.”
How did you think Howell performed? Take a listen to BMitch & Finlay’s entire breakdown above, and weigh in on social media!