By R.L. Bynum
Sam Howell couldn’t have started his NFL career much better. His first professional pass in a regular-season game went for a 16-yard touchdown play.
More importantly, he led the Washington Commanders to a 26–6 home victory Sunday over their rival Dallas Cowboys and was given the game ball from Coach Ron Rivera after the game.
“Overall, it was just fun to get out there and play football again and get the win,” said Howell, who grew up a Cowboys fan. “It probably didn’t hit me until I ran out there on the field first. But I just said a quick prayer and just tried to stay in a moment and take it one play at a time.”
Howell connected on 11 of 19 passes for 169 yards with one interception for an 83.0 passer rating, and ran five times for 35 yards and a touchdown. He became the first rookie Washington quarterback to throw and run for a score since Robert Griffin III in 2012.
“It is about the QB making plays they’re supposed to make and, every now and then when you need a big play, make a big play,” Rivera said. “That’s what we need to get to.”
The fifth-round draft pick did that with a 52-yard completion to Terry McLaurin on the last play of the third quarter. That led to a 29-yard Joey Slye field goal to push the Commanders’ lead to 23–6. McLaurin also caught the touchdown pass in the first quarter.
“The ball literally walked into my hands,” McLaurin said, adding that Howell “makes some throws that make you say wow.”
Rivera said he saw the same player he saw at Carolina and that he delivered the ball on time and had good anticipation.
“He’ll definitely be a quarterback [on the team],” said Rivera, who didn’t say whether he saw him as a starter. “I won’t give you a number at this point.”
Howell said he’s not worried about his situation, knowing he’s the only quarterback under contract with Washington for next season.
“All I can do is control what I can control,” he said. “I know there’s probably a lot of decisions to be made. But I’m just gonna go to work and just try to become the best player I can and come back here better than I left. And so I don’t know what the situation would be, but you know, whatever it is. I’ll be ready for it. And I’ll come back ready to play.”
McLaurin was impressed with Howell’s postgame speech (the video is in the below tweet).
“For a rookie to get his first start against a team like that and to play the way he did, overcome some adversity and then give a speech — I’ve heard some good speeches, but not from a young guy like that,” he said.
McLaurin said that he regretted throwing the ball into the stands after the first touchdown. Howell signed a football two minutes after his first career touchdown pass to help the team negotiate with the fan to get it back.
Washington quarterback Carson Wentz let Howell’s family use his suite in the Commanders’ stadium.
Washington (8–8–1) ended a four-game winless streak to avoid its third consecutive losing season.
Dyami Brown saw limited action off the Washington bench, with eight offensive snaps. He notched a tackle on punt coverage on one of his nine special-teams snaps.
Giovani Bernard had a season-high seven carries and 28 rushing yards in Tampa Bay’s 30–17 victory at Atlanta to end the season for Coach Arthur Smith’s Falcons at 7–10. Jalen Dalton wasn’t active for the game for Atlanta.
Interim coach Jeff Saturday’s Indianapolis Colts finished the season with seven consecutive losses after they beat the Las Vegas Raiders in Saturday’s debut. The Colts lost 32–31 to the Houston Texans to finish 4–12–1.
For the Texans, M.J. Stewart Jr. had four tackles, a special-teams assist and a fumble recovery in 45 total snaps. Offensive lineman Charlie Heck played four special-teams snaps.
Michael Carter started in the New York Jets’ 11–6 Sunday victory over Miami, rushing four yards on three carries and catching two passes for a net gain of one yard with a six-yard reception. He played 18 total snaps compared to 17 for former N.C. State running back Bam Knight, who ran for 22 yards on 12 carries.
Ty Chandler had six carries for 20 yards in Minnesota’s 29–13 win at Chicago in 12 offensive snaps.
Tomon Fox had four tackles, one for a loss, and a special-teams tackle in the New York Giants’ 22–16 loss at Philadelphia. He played all 73 defensive snaps and 17 snaps on special teams.
The Eagles’ Robert Quinn returned after a stint on injured reserve with a knee injury and had no statistics in 18 defensive snaps.
In the Las Vegas Raiders’ 31–13 Saturday home loss to Kansas City, Mack Hollins had two catches for 15 yards.
James Hurst started at left tackle and played all 60 offensive snaps for New Orleans in the Saints’ 20–7 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Andre Smith had one special-teams tackle and one special-teams assist in 10 special-teams snaps during Tennessee’s 20–16 Saturday loss at Jacksonville.
Mitchell Trubisky didn’t play in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season-ending 28–14 home win over Cleveland.
Dyami Brown, Washington Commanders wide receiver
Age 23 | 6–0, 195 | third NFL season | UNC 2018–20
Roster situation — Second-string WR behind Terry McLaurin
38–10 Sunday loss vs. Dallas — 1 of 1 passing, 4 yards, 83.3 passer rating; 7 offensive snaps (14%), 12 special-teams snaps (55%)
Season statistics — 17 games, 1 start; 12 catches, 164 yards (35 longest), 1 TD; 1 rush, 0 yards; 1 assist; 2 special-teams tackles; 1 special-teams assist; 1 of 1 passing, 4 yards, 83.3 passer rating
Season over — The Commanders finished 4–13.
Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals running back
Age 24 | 5–8, 201 | third NFL season | UNC 2017–20
Roster situation — Competing for time with James Conner, Earl Demercado and Keaontay Ingram
21–20 Sunday loss vs. Seattle