Fans of Commanders won’t need much reminding of the events of the previous season. Still, I’ll remind you.
In the second half of a Week 16 matchup with the 49ers, the team was having trouble and trailing. Ron Rivera benched Taylor Heinicke and substituted Carson Wentz to close out the game after Heinicke, who finished the 2022 season with a 5-2-1 record as a starter, threw an interception in the fourth quarter. After starting the season with a record of 2-4, Wentz guided Washington on a touchdown drive, and the 49ers triumphed by a score of 17.
With the playoffs at stake the next week (Week 17), Ron Rivera started Carson Wentz against the Browns and kept Heinicke on the bench. The offense scored 10 points, Wentz threw three interceptions, and the Commanders were out of the postseason picture.
Ron Rivera chose to start Taylor Heinicke in the final home game of the season against the Cowboys, which might have a significant impact on the Cowboys’ playoff chances (but not on Washington’s).
Heinicke refused to accept it. Though he told reporters he thought Sam Howell earned a shot, he was probably eager to avoid any potential injury that may jeopardize his chances of signing a free agent contract. As a result, in Week 18 of 2022, Sam had his first start and his first victory at home against the Cowboys.
Sam Howell began the 2023 season with victory, just as he concluded the 2022 campaign. Sam began the season with a new offensive strategy, offensive coach, and ownership, and he appeared to be getting better every week. He most likely reached his peak during the Week 8 matchup with the Eagles. However, by Week 11, it appeared that his play was getting worse, and by Week 15, he had drastically declined.
In light of last week’s Week 16 matchup against the Jets, where Sam was benched for the second straight game and Jacoby Brissett led a decisive scoring drive that resulted in a 1-point lead with under five minutes remaining in the game, we thought it would be a good idea to use our Reacts survey this week to ask Hogs Haven readers whether they thought Ron Rivera should switch starters again in a Week 17 matchup.
40% of survey respondents agreed with the change, while 60% disagreed, preferring to continue working with Sam Howell.
Everyone might wind up getting their wish—sort of.
Before the survey’s voting period ended on Wednesday, head coach Ron Rivera declared that he would start Brissett and allow Sam Howell to “take a breath”—a phrase he used multiple times in the eight minutes or so he spent speaking with the local media.
Jacoby Brissett’s name appeared on the injury report two days later, on Friday. It listed a hamstring issue and a “questionable” designation for Sunday’s game. The head coach affirmed that Sam will start this weekend against the 49ers in Jacoby’s absence.
You can’t make this stuff up, really.
Josh Harris reportedly had a private conversation with Ron about the importance of protecting the #3 overall draft pick, based on numerous tweets and comments. Ron claimed that Brissett was experiencing “tightness” rather than a severe injury, thus I assume that Jacoby will continue to start.
Upon reviewing the remainder of Washington’s injury report, it would seem that the Commanders’ draft position is becoming increasingly secure. Washington’s top two corners, Kendall Fuller and Benjamin St-Juste, are sidelined with their team’s 31st-ranked pass defense. The rookie running back Chris Rodriguez, who played in his finest game to date last week, has been placed on injured reserve. There are numerous injuries on the offensive line as well. This weekend may be especially bad for the 49ers, who lost to the Ravens the previous week and are still in the running for the top seed in the NFC playoffs.
