The Commanders lost, and were outgunned in the fourth, but it took until late in the game for the Eagles to get a true sack of Sam Howell – and Sam did throw for 397 and four tuddies, with just one pick and the one sack, albeit both late in the game in big situations.
So, how would the Junkies evaluate Sam this week?
“I can’t give him an A because of the interception, so I give him an A-minus,” JP said. “The guy was really good yesterday, only sacked one time, they gave him a pocket. He's got great arm talent. He made some nice throws.”
“I agree, but I gotta give him an A,” Bish replied. “The pick was huge because it led to that next touchdown. It was only two plays, I think, but his stats were crazy – he had the best fantasy day of any starting quarterback, I believe, and to start off the way he did was very impressive. Some of those throws, especially that last touchdown to Crowder, great catch but just a perfect throw. He was just on point yesterday, so I gotta give him an A.”
Cakes was even MORE positive?
“I’m going A-plus,” Johnny Auville revealed. ““Quarterbacks, throw picks, especially young quarterbacks, but he led the league in passing yards yesterday with nearly 400. If you look at the top five stat performances yesterday, Brock Purdy threw two picks, Josh Allen threw a pick, Tua threw a pick, the only guy in the top five that didn't throw a pick was his counterpart, Jalen Hurts. I'm sorry, if you throw for almost 400 yards and keep your team in it and give them a chance to win despite a leaky faulty, defense, you get an A-plus.”
EB agreed, but toned it down a notch.
“I love that grade, Cakes, but I give him an A,” Bickel said. “He had some negative plays, but every quarterback has negative plays. It just solidified to me that you can coach him up, you can scheme him up, you can surround him with better talent.”
And he had a comparison for that.
“The year that Mark Rypien was only sacked nine times isn't because he's some nimble guy – he’s a statue – but he had a great offensive line, and they had a better scheme, a better approach,” Eric said. “He was sacked once, and it was at a bad time, but I also on the scheme; they had one running back in there for a half-second who was gonna chip and then didn't, and didn't do anything extra there. Everyone in the stadium knew they were gonna be blitzing every play in that sequence and they didn't protect. But at the end of the day, I give Howell an A; I think he could do this job, and games like that, he just needs to keep stacking them.”
A successful week for Sam all around – take a listen above to more discussion of Sam’s spectacular day!
