After watching Sam Howell and the Washington Commanders offense play the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1, did you like what you saw? Did it meet your expectations for the second-year passer working in the system of long-time offensive coordinator but first-time play-caller Eric Bienemy? Has it made you more confident or less confident in the offense and quarterback?
That's the questions that Craig Hoffman is looking for answers to after the 20-16 win in which Howell completed 19 of 31 passes for 202 yards with a touchdown and an interception and rushed for 11 yards on two carries for a touchdown. He was also sacked six times for a loss of 46 yards (a loss of 7.7 yards per sack) and fumbled once, which was scooped up for an Arizona touchdown.
"He shows some really, really nice flashes," Hoffman said, "But he also shows that he's a young quarterback with a lot to learn. There's a higher level of recognition that he's got to attain to work at a higher level. And there's some, I think, some more nuanced technical things that he's got to work on, like his footwork not being necessarily in the timing and rhythm of some of the routes. For instance, on the interception, he doesn't seem like he's at the top of his drop at the right time he's back there with almost a quick-game kind of drop on a longer developing route.
"These are the things that take time, they take reps, there's a lot of detal, and that detail becomes second nature as you go."
Having said that, Hoffman adds that it isn't a binary choice the team has made: Play him or compete right now. The team can do both, as many people in Ashburn have come to the conclusion Howell is a better option out there than veteran backup Jacoby Brissett and that in playing the younger Howell, he is only going to widen that gap as he develops.
Head coach Ron Rivera, who said "there were some really good things that happened" in Howell's second career start, was asked about his level of patience with the young QB on Monday and said, "Well, I think. you have to have some patience with him, but again, in the back of your mind, you always do think about hey, we've got to do something to win."
The head coach added, "I think as you go through it and you progress and you know when certain things happen early on, you go, ok, we got it. We're doing it. We just got to get that rhythm going. We'll look at it. Each game will have its own personality, its own characteristics as to how things flow."
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