In a rather gloomy turn of events, the Washington Commanders’ quarterback, Sam Howell, faced his first NFL loss as a starter. The Sunday matchup against the Buffalo Bills saw Howell enduring a tough day, throwing four interceptions and getting sacked a staggering nine times. The final score painted a grim picture: a 37-3 home loss.
Following the disheartening defeat, Howell took full responsibility, stating, “It starts with me,” while adding optimistically, “But the good thing is: The sun’ll come up tomorrow.”
Sam Howell: “It starts with me. … The sun will come up tomorrow.” pic.twitter.com/bDBxZw6TVz
— Sam Fortier (@Sam4TR) September 24, 2023
Before this setback, Howell had an impressive season with a 95.0 rating, 501 passing yards, three touchdowns, and only one interception. He had also secured victories in all three of his previous pro starts since his 2022 draft selection from North Carolina.
A win against the Bills would have made Howell just the second quarterback in Washington’s history to achieve a 4-0 record in his first four starts, with Billy Kilmer accomplishing the feat in 1971. However, Howell’s performance in this game was far from ideal, marked by multiple interceptions, including a pick-6 by A.J. Epenesa in the fourth quarter. In the end, the Commanders fell short, with the game narrowly avoiding a shutout.
Commanders QB Sam Howell after four-interception loss to Buffalo: "The sun'll come up tomorrow"https://t.co/4mcvKQg8yY
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) September 26, 2023
Howell’s stats for the day were a modest 19 completions out of 29 attempts for 170 yards, marred by turnovers and sacks. His struggles placed him in an unfortunate group of quarterbacks, as he became just the sixth QB in the Super Bowl era to endure at least four interceptions and nine sacks in a single game, with Warren Moon being the most recent in 1995.
The Buffalo Bills SMOKED the Washington Commanders..
They looked UNBELIEVABLE #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/nLGuih4yAV
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 25, 2023
Despite the tough day, receiver Terry McLaurin expressed support for Howell, acknowledging that rough days happen to everyone in their profession. McLaurin emphasized, “You’re going to have tough days at the office — some uglier than others.”
Brutal loss for the Washington #Commanders as the Buffalo #Bills beat them 37-3 @DCNewsNow #DCNNGameNight pic.twitter.com/xdOjMzMKFV
— Derek Forrest (@DerekFSpx) September 25, 2023
Washington had a significant concern during Howell’s performance. They were worried about their opponents’ ability to apply pressure by using only four rushers and dropping seven players into coverage. This challenge, coupled with a struggling offensive line, is expected to persist throughout the rest of the season in the nation’s capital.
