Commanders 'Got to Play Better As a Group', Says Coach Eric Bieniemy

The Washington Commanders made a change at quarterback this week, but coach Eric Bieniemy says it's not because Sam Howell is alone in not getting the job done.

ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Commanders will field one of 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL this weekend, and this time it'll be Jacoby Brissett leading the team on the field instead of Sam Howell.

While Howell sits out at least this game, and presumably the Commanders' final two regular-season contests, he'll have gone through just about every up and down a young quarterback can experience in one year.

Unfortunately, his benching is not a result of just his own dip in production, but the offense's as a whole according to assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

Washington Commanders assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy walks down the sidelines during the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at FedExField / Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

“I think it's a number of things," Bieniemy said after being asked what led to the sudden drop in offensive production from Howell this season. " The quarterback position is probably the most scrutinized position in all of football, but collectively, we got to play better as a group. That means I got to do a better job, guys got to do a better job of executing and playing, and we got to go out and make sure that we are doing everything under the sun that's going to give us the best opportunity to have success."

Howell got his first career win as a starter in Week 18 of last season leading Washington to a victory over the hated Dallas Cowboys. 

That win, and his performance in it, sparked an offseason of building excitement around his potential that led directly into a preseason that only fed into the same. 

Once the year got rolling there were fourth-quarter comebacks that many clung to as not something previous Commanders rosters would have been able to pull off, followed by disappointing performances that many placed blame for on the defense, offensive line, coaching, or at times all three.

The thing about pro sports, especially when you play quarterback, is that once progress is seen the expectation becomes continued growth. Because of that, regression is not taken lightly.

Even as the team waited patiently through multiple rough outings from Howell there came a breaking point in the second half against the Los Angeles Rams. That led to the first benching of the season which was sold at the time as an opportunity for the young quarterback to sit back and learn by observation. 

The next week, the same thing occurred - albeit earlier - resulting in the third quarter of the team's loss to the New York Jets. Now, Howell's role as an observing student has been expanded almost as quickly as the hype around him grew right around this time last year.

"He just didn't play well. And unfortunately, you know, that happens and it's not like anything that you can put your finger on," Bieniemy said of the games leading to Howell's benching. "But on the flip side of that, Jacoby steps in and he sparks a rally. So, the good thing is that you have a great quarterback room, and those guys do a great job of supporting one another. Those guys are the biggest fans of each other. And obviously it's a tough situation, but I guarantee you Sam is going to be Jacoby's biggest fan, just as Jacoby was his biggest fan moving forward.”

Howell has already observed this kind of dance in the NFL as he witnessed the dance between quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke last year. Ideally, those experiences will help him become the type of teammate he wants to be at this moment.

Bieniemy on Howell Benching: 'Sometimes You Need a Spark'

But it's not about Howell alone, as Bieniemy said.

It's about the sum of the parts working better, together, and doing it quickly.

Because if they fail to do it then Washington will suffer another embarrassment with a determined San Francisco 49ers squad coming into FedEx Field looking to make a statement that they are the bully the rest of the NFC needs to fear this postseason.