Commanders' Comedy of Errors Torpedoes Early Effort vs. Jets

Our halftime look in at the Washington Commanders' Week 16 game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

The Washington Commanders are trailing the New York Jets 27-7 at the end of the first half of their Week 16 matchup, but the score is much closer than the play on the field would have you believe.

Commanders quarterback Sam Howell needs to have a solid performance in the final three games, starting today against the Jets, but he needs his teammates to help out while he tries to fix his own recent string of struggles.

That didn't happen early as both of Howell's first two passes bounced off open teammates with the second deflecting off Washington tight end Logan Thomas' hands and into New York safety Tony Adams' waiting arms.

New York Jets wide receiver Jason Brownlee (16) scores a receiving touchdown during the first quarter against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium / Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The turnover gave the Jets the ball at the Commanders' 24-yard line and was the exact opposite of what Howell and his offense wanted to produce on their first drive. Fortunately, the defense was able to hold, however, and the turnover produced just a field goal for the opposition.

Things didn't get much better on the second drive which ended not in a turnover, but a blocked punt. The special teams play - keyed by a less-than-stellar block by Washington safety Terrell Burgess - gave New York the ball inside enemy territory to start each of their first two drives.

On the second, Jets quarterback Trevor Siemian, starting in place of Zach Wilson (concussion) who has been starting in place of Aaron Rodgers (Achilles), connected with receiver Jason Brownlee for the first touchdown of the game.

The score gave New York a 10-0 lead with less than four minutes off the game clock.

We may not have witnessed a worse first half than the one we witnessed this Sunday, and by the time the Jets had to start a possession on their own side of the field, they held a 17-0 lead thanks to a comedy of errors and a 36-yard touchdown run by running back Breece Hall.

All of that came with more than seven minutes left in the first quarter.

Things appeared to settle down as the game moved into the second quarter until Commanders punt returner Jamison Crowder unbelievably lost his grip on the football, throwing it straight up into the air as a result, and turned the ball back over to New York once again.

The Jets turned Washington's third turnover of the half into points again and took a 20-0 lead.

WATCH: Chris Rodriguez Jr. Scores First NFL TD

Perhaps in the spirit of the season New York decided to give back after doing so much receiving in the first half and after quarterback Trevor Siemian turned the ball over to the Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. was able to find the end zone giving his team their first points of the game. 

On their first four scoring drives of the game, the Jets used just 5 minutes and 19 seconds of the game clock. Their last used up nearly that same amount of game clock and left Washington with less than two minutes to try and make anything happen.

Like the rest of the half, nothing much was done with that opportunity, and the Commanders entered the locker rooms down by three scores knowing they'll be kicking off the second half to New York when they come back out.