'Control My Mindset!' Sam Howell Reacts to Commanders' Offensive Struggles

Sam Howell, once again, was benched in the Washington Commanders' loss to the New York Jets in Week 16. How is the young quarterback dealing with the adversity?

As the season comes to a close, it appears the Sam Howell experiment has, too. The Washington Commanders lost to the New York Jets on Sunday, falling 30-28 in MetLife Stadium.

Washington now has possession of the third-overall pick in next year’s NFL Draft, putting them in prime position to land one of the class’ top quarterbacks – should the Arizona Cardinals opt for a non-quarterback like receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

For the second consecutive week, Howell found himself benched for veteran passer Jacoby Brissett. This time, it was harder to buy the narrative that Howell was being protected.

Howell being taken to the ground by New York Jets safety Jordan Whitehead / USA Today Sports

Howell was benched after his second interception, only to be significantly outplayed by Brissett, who once again played Washington back into the game. After making Week 15’s loss a one-score affair, Brissett led three scoring drives and forced New York to win on a last-minute field goal.

Howell spoke after the loss about his headspace after another disappointing outing.

"It has been obviously a disappointing couple of weeks here and we would like to play some better football,” Howell said. “But at the end of the day, all I can do is control my mindset, my attitude moving forward and control how I treat each and every day and how I try to get better. That’s all I’m focused on."

Howell completed just six of 22 attempts on Sunday for 56 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. In relief, Brissett went 10 of 13 for 100 yards and a score.

Unsurprisingly, head coach Ron Rivera was non-committal on naming Week 17’s starter, with both passers potentially auditioning for new teams in the season’s final contests. Howell has had every chance to prove himself—and while the surrounding cast hasn’t been perfect—158 passing yards and three interceptions in the last two weeks may have been a nail in the coffin, at least for his aspirations as Washington’s starter.

It seems Howell’s head is in the right place, and he’s said all the things a prospective franchise quarterback should, but on-field results likely trump postgame remarks. If Caleb Williams or Drake Maye enters the equation, a new front office may have already made up their mind on an ideal candidate under center.

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If Rivera’s comments are true about protecting Howell from vaunted defenses in aggressive situations, it’s possible Commanders fans don’t see the young quarterback the rest of the way. Both the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys remain on the schedule, complete with dynamic defenses and the offenses to get ahead early.

It is yet to be seen whether Rivera will prioritize giving Howell another shot or preventing him from becoming fodder in the NFC playoff race.