Tag: 2023 NFL preseason

Pat McAfee on the Commanders: ‘The future is bright’

Add McAfee to the list of those high on Sam Howell.

During the Washington Commanders’ Monday night preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, Pat McAfee sent out a tweet praising Commanders quarterback Sam Howell.

Howell first came on McAfee’s radar during Super Bowl week when former Washington quarterback Taylor Heinicke joined McAfee’s show. Heinicke praised Howell as Washington’s quarterback of the future.

On Tuesday’s edition of “The Pat McAfee Show,” the former NFL punter turned media tycoon had high praise for the Commanders and their quarterback.

“Sam Howell and the Commanders with Eric Bieniemy’s offense looked damn good,” McAfee said. “‘It’s against third stringers,’ who cares? They were slinging the ball over the place. Sam Howell appears to be a guy.”

McAfee then went on to explain Heinicke’s praise of Howell. “I think he is beloved,” McAfee said of Howell as a leader and teammate.

McAfee sees that times are changing in Washington; some of it is due to the ownership change, while the excitement surrounding Howell is another reason.

“The vibes out of the Commanders’ team just feel better,” McAfee said. “And obviously, you can say Dan Snyder is out; maybe that is the case. But also, with how good this guy played and with everything that is happening, the future is bright over there. Good luck, Commanders’ fans, who’ve been through it.”

For the first time in years, the Washington Commanders are receiving some positive attention and aren’t the butt of every joke.

The times, they are a changing

 

 

WATCH: Sam Howell’s highlights from preseason game vs. Ravens

A Sam Howell highlight reel.

Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell played the entire first half of Monday’s preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. Howell responded with another strong performance, completing 19 of 25 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns.

Howell wasn’t perfect in the game, admitting as much after the game. He was sacked twice, which he acknowledged were both on him. But it was Howell’s response to those negative plays that should have Washington fans encouraged about his progress.

After taking a sack on second down and losing 13 yards, Howell goes through his progressions and throws a dart to tight end Cole Turner for 16 yards and a first down. Howell never loses his composure and shows a strong ability to immediately bounce back from negative plays.

It’s doubtful that Howell and the starting offense play in Saturday’s preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals. For head coach Ron Rivera, it’s all about Week 1.

So, courtesy of the NFL, here are Howell’s highlights from Monday’s preseason win over the Ravens.

Commanders optimistic Terry McLaurin will be ready for Week 1

No major damage for Terry McLaurin.

The one thing no NFL teams want in the preseason is injuries. So you could imagine how the Washington Commanders felt when star wide receiver Terry McLaurin walked gingerly off the field late in the second quarter of Monday’s preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens.

After halftime, we learned McLaurin was dealing with a toe injury. The internet was buzzing about the severity of the toe injury because it can linger, particularly if it is a case of turf toe.

However, the initial news was good, as the X-rays were negative.

On Tuesday, Washington scheduled an MRI for McLaurin, and it presented more good news. The MRI showed no major damage, and the injury was considered more day-to-day. With Washington’s Week 1 game against Arizona just under three weeks away, McLaurin has plenty of time to be ready.

Washington closes out its preseason slate this weekend by hosting the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. It’s doubtful the Commanders will play their starters, and if they do, it’s unlikely they’ll play past the first possession.

LOOK: The top photos from Commanders’ preseason win over Ravens

A look at some of the best images from Monday’s game between the Ravens and Commanders.

The Baltimore Ravens’ preseason winning streak is over after the Washington Commanders defeated them 29-28 on Monday night from FedEx Field.

The end of the streak literally means nothing to either team. Yes, Baltimore took pride in the streak but understands the significance — or lack thereof — of it. And this win means nothing for the Commanders come Week 1.

But, for over three hours on Monday night, this was an entertaining football game. We saw Washington quarterback Sam Howell play the entire first half, and he played well. We saw backup quarterbacks for each team going back and forth in the second half until, ultimately, it was Jake Fromm who led his team to the win.

Yes, it was a meaningless game that will be forgotten next week, but for fans anticipating the regular season, this game was fun, regardless of who you rooted for.

Here are some of the top photos from Monday night’s “Battle of the Beltway” from FedEx Field.

Commanders’ QB Sam Howell impressive in the preseason win

Sam Howell with another strong preseason performance.

If you wanted Sam Howell to get some work on Monday night, you got your wish.

Howell, playing the first half against the Ravens in the Commanders’ second preseason game, attempted 25 first-half passes.

And why not? My goodness, Howell has only appeared in one regular-season game. He is learning a new offense with a new offensive coordinator. Howell needed game reps tonight, and he was able to complete 19 of his 25 passing attempts for 188 yards, two passing touchdowns and a 123.4 passer rating.

There were some plays where Howell held the ball too long, yes. They will be addressed, but when he delivered the ball, it visibly has more velocity. Howell also displayed an ability to move and maintain composure, looking downfield and attempting to find his receivers.

In the opening quarter, Howell completed six of seven attempts for 64 yards (9.1 yards per attempt), compiling a 104.8 passer rating.

Howell, in the second quarter, completed 13 of 18 attempts for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

Jahan Dotson led the way with five receptions for 76 yards, and Terry McLaurin caught three receptions for 39 yards, injuring a toe on his last reception and limping to the locker room.

Howell’s two touchdown passes were to Antonio Gibson from nine yards and to Dyami Brown from 11 yards. Gibson’s touchdown concluded a 45-yard drive, and Brown’s concluded a 79-yard drive, providing Washington a 17-14 halftime lead.

A good night of some much-needed work for Washington’s second-year quarterback.

Commanders minority owner Magic Johnson reacts to preseason win

Magic knows its the preseason, but acknowledged it was fun for the fans.

The NFL preseason means nothing in the grand scheme of things. We’ve all heard it before and understand the most significant aspect of the preseason is escaping it healthy.

On Monday night from FedEx Field, the Baltimore Ravens, winners of 24 consecutive preseason games, traveled to Landover to face the Washington Commanders. The two teams got together for two days of joint practices last week, and tensions were high at times.

In one of the more entertaining preseason games in recent memory, the Commanders ended the Ravens’ streak when kicker Joey Slye made a 49-yard field with 10 seconds remaining.

The fans who remained at FedEx Field were excited, losing themselves in the moment. After all, the newly-energized Washington fan base hasn’t had a lot to cheer for over the years.

New Washington owner Josh Harris was happy, too. After all, it was his first home game as the owner of the team he grew up rooting for. One of his minority partners, Magic Johnson, watched the game and reacted on Twitter afterward.

Johnson is right. Yes, it’s the preseason, and it means very little. But, for a fan base that has struggled for something positive over the years, seeing them excited was a good thing.

Now, Harris, Johnson and the rest of Washington’s ownership hope that excitement carries over into the regular season, where the Commanders have struggled to fill FedEx Field with Washington fans in recent years.

5 takeaways from Commanders’ preseason win over the Ravens

What did we learn from Washington’s win over Baltimore? Here are five takeaways.

The Washington Commanders improved to 2-0 in the preseason with Monday night’s 29-28 win over the Baltimore Ravens. While preseason wins mean nothing in the grand scheme of things, Monday night’s win was a bit different as the Commanders ended the Ravens’ 24-game preseason winning streak.

Washington chose to play its offensive starters for the entire first half. That meant a lot of work for newly-named starter Sam Howell. Howell responded, completing 19 of 25 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns.

The Commanders did not play their starters on defense, with the exception of linebacker Cody Barton and Jamin Davis and first-round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes.

Washington will wrap up the preseason Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals. It’s doubtful the starters will play for the Commanders. NFL teams will cut rosters down to 53 players next week, giving them one last chance to evaluate potential roster hopefuls.

What did we learn from Washington’s win over Baltimore? Here are five takeaways from Monday’s victory.

 

Social media reacts to Commanders’ preseason win over Ravens

Some of the best and worst social media reactions from Monday’s preseason game.

The Washington Commanders ended the Baltimore Ravens’ 24-game preseason win streak with Monday night’s 29-28 victory.

As expected, the game was popular on social media. Fans were excited about Washington quarterback Sam Howell while being concerned about wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

Commanders’ fans weighed in on each of the three quarterbacks, owner Josh Harris and head coach Ron Rivera icing his own kicker late in the game. And, of course, fans of both teams took shots at the other.

For years, Baltimore took pride in its preseason winning streak, but now that it’s gone, the Commanders had some fun on Monday night, and Baltimore fans responded with……” yeah, but…..”

Whether Baltimore likes it or not, this isn’t Daniel Snyder’s Washington NFL team anymore.

Here are some of the best and most interesting reactions from Monday night’s game.

Studs and duds from Commanders’ preseason win over Ravens

Who shined in the win? Who didn’t? Studs and duds from the preseason win over the Ravens.

The Washington Commanders ended the Baltimore Ravens’ 24-game preseason winning streak with a 29-28 win on Monday night. The Commanders improved to 2-0 in the preseason and will finish the preseason at home against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday.

Washington went into Monday night’s game with many believing the offensive starters would play the first quarter before departing. While the Commanders wanted quarterback Sam Howell to get some work, they wouldn’t leave him in the game with the backup offensive line.

However, the Commanders surprisingly kept the first-team offense in throughout the first half, and Howell led Washington on three scoring drives with two touchdown passes and a field goal.

Meanwhile, the defense mainly played backups, with only linebackers Cody Barton and Jamin Davis and first-round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes playing extended time.

So, who shined in the preseason win? Who struggled? Here are the studs and duds from Washington’s preseason win over Baltimore.

Commanders end Ravens 24-game preseason winning streak

Sam Cosmi called it.

Washington Commanders guard Sam Cosmi told the world the Baltimore Ravens’ 24-game preseason winning streak would end Monday night.

As it turns out, Cosmi’s prophecy was true, as the Commanders defeated the Ravens 29-28 after kicker Joey Slye drilled a 49-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining to improve Washington to 2-0 in the preseason. It was Baltimore’s first preseason loss since 2015.

Washington’s starting offense, minus left tackle Charles Leno Jr. and tight end Logan Thomas, played the entire first half. Quarterback Sam Howell was sharp, completing 19 of 25 passes for 188 yards with two touchdowns. Howell also had 17 rushing yards on three attempts.

Howell led the offense on three scoring drives during the first half. The only blemish for Washington’s starting offense was the injury to wide receiver Terry McLaurin. McLaurin departed just before halftime with a toe injury. Fortunately, the X-rays were negative.

Backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett completed seven of 11 passes for 47 yards and was intercepted once. Third-string quarterback Jake Fromm was impressive, leading the Commanders on a pair of fourth-quarter scoring drives. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown.

Washington wraps up the postseason on Saturday as the Cincinnati Bengals come to FedEx Field. Then the Commanders will trim their roster to 53 players next week.