Tag: 2022 Cowboys at Commanders

What might new offensive coordinator mean for Sam Howell?

Washington’s next offensive coordinator is a critical hire with Sam Howell in mind.

Sam Howell looked across the line, and seeing the silver and blue Dallas Cowboys, he received the snap of the ball, dropping back on his first NFL passing attempt.

The line of scrimmage being the Dallas 16, Howell looked to his left, and there was Terry McLaurin completing a stutter move in a shallow crossing route moving from left to right beneath much of the Dallas secondary.

Howell planted his right foot to throw, tapped the ball with his left hand, and then looking in the middle of the field, passed toward McLaurin, leading him further to the right.

McLaurin made the catch around the ten-yard line, squared up his shoulders, and headed up the field into the end zone untouched. Sam Howell had attempted and completed his first NFL pass for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys.

Washington defeated Dallas 26-6 as Howell enjoyed the thrill of passing for and running for his first NFL touchdowns, both in his initial NFL game.

The former North Carolina Tar Heel had not been drafted until the fifth round by Washington. Understandably, Howell was the No. 3 quarterback behind Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke. Only after the team was officially eliminated from the playoffs was Howell given the last game.

Two days later, Commanders offensive coordinator Scott Turner was fired. Rivera had thought so much of Turner that following the 2021 season; Turner was given a contract extension. But now he was being fired by Rivera, though Turner had worked with eight quarterbacks in these three seasons as offensive coordinator.

So, the search for a new offensive coordinator has begun. With Rivera’s win totals in his three seasons being 7,7 and 8, next year is most likely the last for Rivera unless Washington is in the playoffs.

So what offensive coordinator wants to come to Washington, where there have not been winning seasons since 2015-16? What offensive coordinator wants to come to work for a head coach who may be in his last year?

In addition, if 2023 with the new offensive coordinator does not result in Washington being in the playoffs and the new owner cleans house, what will that mean for Sam Howell in 2024?

It will mean three offensive coordinators in three NFL seasons for a third-year quarterback drafted in the fifth round. Commanders fans and certainly Sam Howell himself are hoping for a much smoother transition.

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Commanders most likely end the Daniel Snyder era with a win

Was Sunday the end of the Daniel Snyder era?

With the sale of the Washington Commanders said to have already begun its process, Sunday’s game marked a fitting end.

With the fans already hopeful of Snyder’s almost certain soon departure, the football team itself provided some encouragement as well with a resounding 26-6 win over NFC East rival Dallas.

Snyder began his very first season raising red flags when general manager Charley Casserley suddenly resigned. He continued disappointing fans throughout his era from 1999-2022.

He naively played general manager, signing aging veterans to grossly over-priced contracts, such as Deion Sanders, Bruce Smith, Jeff George, Mark Carrier and Albert Haynesworth.

He fired Norv Turner during the 2000 season, fired Marty Schottenheimer after the 2001 season, and made Steve Spurrier the highest-paid coach in the NFL.

His best accomplishment as the owner was his being able to persuade Joe Gibbs to return to the Redskins. Gibbs did get the team to the playoffs in two of his four seasons. Yet, when Gibbs departed, Snyder couldn’t find quality coaches to come be his head coach because, for some never-to-be-understood reasons, he had already hired Jim Zorn to be his offensive coordinator, ending up promoting him to head coach. He even insisted in 2019 his football staff was to draft Dwayne Haskins in the first round.

The last time this franchise won a playoff game was the 2005 season under Joe Gibbs, a 17-10 win in Tampa. In Snyder’s entire ownership cycle, Washington won two playoff games.

There was the Robert Griffin trade when Snyder traded first-round selections that were 6th, 22nd and 2nd overall and a 39th overall choice to move up only four spots to draft a college running quarterback who proved unable to play in the pocket and whose career was virtually over after three seasons.

There was a toxic workplace environment during his ownership years; the historic Redskins name was dropped, a consumer-protection lawsuit was made against him, and allegations by a few female employees of inappropriate conduct.

RFK and Jack Kent Cook Stadium once contained full stadiums of rabid Burgundy and Gold fans. The official numbers are not yet closed for this 2022 season, but it’s reasonable to believe Washington may have the lowest home attendance in the NFL this season.

That’s inexcusable, NFL owners know it, and Snyder knows it. Thus he is pursuing selling. I wish Dan, Tanya and his children a life of quiet peace after the sale.

Yet, I do hope for a quick sale.

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Commanders defense dominated Cowboys

The defense was phenomenal Sunday, with several key starters out.

Any day Washington beats Dallas is a good day for me.

Sunday, in the 2022 season finale, the Washington defense simply smothered the Cowboys offense, frankly making Dak Prescott look horrible on their way to an easy 26-6 victory at FedEx Field.

The Commanders defense from the very first series took absolute control of this game. Before you reply, “Well, Dallas wasn’t playing some people.” I’ll remind you the Commanders defense was without their best lineman Jonathan Allen, their best safety Kam Curl, and their best cover corner Benjamin St-Juste.

Jack Del Rio’s unit held the Cowboys to 4-18 on third downs (22.2 percent). For almost the entire game, the pass rush, as designed, kept Prescott in the pocket, not permitting him to extend plays laterally or run for first downs. Prescott finished a surprisingly poor 14-37 for 128 yards.

Up 13-0 late in the first half, Del Rio feared they could possibly give up a big play. So he had his back seven drop back perhaps a couple of yards too many, permitting Prescott to complete seven short passes on a 14-play 77-yard touchdown drive, narrowing the Commanders’ lead to 13-6.

Other than that, the Commanders defense was the story of the day. The Commanders defense had absolutely no problem getting off of the field Sunday, forcing Dallas into ten, yes, ten possessions where they ran only three plays and punted.

The Commanders defense also produced a touchdown when in the second quarter, leading Dallas 7-0, cornerback Kendall Fuller picked off an anemic Prescott pass attempt and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown, extending the Washington lead to 13-0. It was also Fuller’s second interception return of the season. The first being at the Houston Texans in the first quarter.

In both games this season, the Commanders defense completely shut down the Cowboys rushing attack. Sunday, Ezekiel Elliot amassed a mere ten yards in eight carries. Tony Pollard and Malik Davis both gained only 19 yards apiece on seven and five carries, respectively. In the early-season contest in Dallas on Oct. 2, the Commanders run defense impressively held the Cowboys to only 62 rushing yards in 29 carries.

Say what you want about the Cowboys not needing the game. Jack Del Rio had his defense ready. They were more physical up front, and they contained Prescott, forcing him into many third and long obvious passing downs. It was an impressive conclusion to the 2022 season for Del Rio’s defense.

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