When examining the Washington Commanders’ new offensive strategy, there are two contrasting perspectives to consider.
Let’s take the charitable perspective first. The new West Coast offensive scheme of the Washington Commanders requires time to perfect its timing and spacing. It’s no surprise that there were some initial struggles. However, quarterback Sam Howell showed flashes of playmaking potential, especially with his two touchdowns. Additionally, coordinator Eric Bieniemy adjusted to the game flow by emphasizing the run in the later stages. The six sacks cannot be solely blamed on a weakness in the team’s blocking as sometimes Howell’s internal clock was slow, and occasionally, it was due to a longer-developing play call. These issues are all fixable, and as the offense continues to gel, Bieniemy will optimize the performance of all players, while complementing the team’s strong defense. We just need to be patient and give them time.
Now let’s consider the uncharitable viewpoint. Despite the emphasis on Bieniemy’s attention to detail, the offense lacked precision in their narrow victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Neither touchdown drive was particularly impressive, with the first fueled by defensive penalties and the second benefiting from a short field. Furthermore, the offense gave the ball away three times. It’s evident that Bieniemy lacked trust in the passing game, as he called 14 runs in the final 17 plays. An opportunity to put the Cardinals away with a touchdown was squandered when, given possession at the Arizona 22-yard line with 4:38 remaining and a one-point lead, Bieniemy opted for three consecutive run plays followed by a field goal. Some argue that Coach Ron Rivera took a risky gamble by relying on unproven individuals like Howell, Bieniemy, and the offensive line. According to this perspective, the team’s current approach will never succeed.
At this point, the most equitable evaluation tends to favor the charitable perspective. It’s important to remember that this was just one game, and the team has new players in key positions. Players and coaches alike acknowledged that the 20-16 win was not an impressive first impression. Running back Antonio Gibson, who fumbled in the red zone, described it as “horrible.” However, the players are confident in the offense’s potential to perform better in their upcoming game against the Denver Broncos. Moreover, after reviewing the game footage on Monday, Coach Rivera expressed his belief in the team’s ability to improve.
Coach Rivera commented on Howell, stating, “[It’s] never as bad as you think and never as good as you think.” He recognized that there were both positive and negative aspects of Howell’s performance: some impressive instances of rhythm and coordination, as well as certain questionable decisions. Although it was only the first game with a limited sample size, two clear observations can be made: Howell exhibited toughness and resilience.
Howell’s toughness was evident from the beginning. On the second drive, he endured a late hit to the head by Cardinals linebacker Kyzir White as he slid out of bounds. However, Howell quickly brushed it off, passed a concussion test, and maintained composure as he continued leading the offense. Unlike some previous quarterbacks, he didn’t let the pressure from previous plays affect his performance in the current moment. The resilience he displayed was particularly noticeable towards the end of the game. Despite the offensive struggles in the second half, Howell remained patient and focused. When the team needed it the most, on a crucial third down from the 6-yard line, Howell made a quick decision, evaded the pocket, and ran into the end zone for a touchdown. These observations may appear somewhat cliché, but they hold great significance. Although Howell’s teammates had praised his toughness and resilience during the summer and previous games, this real game with high stakes provided concrete evidence. The success of the entire offense will likely depend heavily on Howell’s ability to maintain these intangible qualities showcased against the Cardinals.
It’s important not to draw too many conclusions solely based on the results of Sunday’s game. In fact, the Commanders had a similar performance in Week 1 of the 2022 season. They took an early lead against a low-ranked opponent, almost squandered the game in the middle, but ultimately made an impressive comeback with the help of a new quarterback and a game-deciding turnover by the defense. However, following Week 1 in 2022, the offense never achieved the same level of scoring throughout the season. In contrast to the previous year, the primary emotion felt by offensive players in the locker room after the game was not relief. Instead, they seemed frustrated because they believed they were capable of performing better. Left tackle Charles Leno Jr. noted that the similarities between the two games ended in the box score.
Leno Jr. expressed his perception that this year’s team feels distinct from the previous year. He couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason behind this sentiment, but he emphasized that there is an unexplainable difference.
One plausible explanation for the perceived difference could be attributed to the qualities of the quarterback, as Coach Rivera had previously suggested.
Report by Tramel Raggs.
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