The Washington Commanders recently went toe-to-toe with the Philadelphia Eagles, forcing overtime in a difficult matchup.
Although the Eagles ended up winning this game, the Commanders gained the respect of many NFC opponents.
Hanging with the Eagles has proven to be a tough task over the last two years, given the strength of their offense and defense.
After their heartbreaking loss, head coach Ron Rivera provided positive comments about what he saw from Sam Howell.
According to Rivera via Pro Football Talk, he saw “A lot of good growth” from Howell in this narrow loss.
Ron Rivera saw "a lot of good growth" from Sam Howell Sunday. https://t.co/5PsOXDk0aI
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 3, 2023
Rivera lauded Howell’s decision-making throughout this contest, saying he had a “good feel and good grasp as to what was going on out there.”
An encouraging comment, especially given the uncertainty surrounding Howell when the year began.
Many analysts were unsure about what Howell could be, an unproven second-year player who was handed the keys to this offense.
At 2-2, with a near win over the Eagles, Howell and the Commanders are trying to silence their doubters.
Rivera has confidence in his ability to lead the team, hoping to inspire Howell to continue on his current trajectory.
The Commanders now head into a matchup with the Chicago Bears, hoping to churn out a victory and give themselves a winning record on the season.
Howell will get an opportunity to show what he can do against a Bears defense that hasn’t inspired much confidence thus far in an upcoming Thursday Night Football matchup.
Will he live up to Rivera’s standards?
NEXT: Magic Johnson Reacts To Commanders' Loss
