Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy says there’s no one thing that resulted in quarterback Sam Howell being benched. It was the combination of a lot of things.
Ultimately, Bieniemy said, the coaching staff agreed that Jacoby Brissett had earned the right to start the last two games of the season, and that Howell hadn’t been getting the job done.
“He just didn’t play well, and unfortunately that happens. And it’s not like anything you can put your finger on. But on the flip side of that, Jacoby steps in and he sparks a rally. The good thing is that you have a great quarterback room and those guys do a great job of supporting one another, and those guys are the biggest fans of each other. And obviously it’s a tough situation, but I guarantee you Sam is going to be Jacoby’s biggest fan just as Jacoby was his biggest fan,” Bieniemy said.
Bieniemy stressed that the Commanders weren’t playing well as a team, and that the quarterback is the one who gets the bulk of the scrutiny when that happens. Bieniemy said he thinks Howell has a bright future and hopes Howell continues to develop.
“What he needs to do is slow the process down, be a film junkie, keep asking questions, keep taking notes,” Bieniemy said. “Sam has been the ultimate professional.”
Bieniemy said Brissett has played well in relief of Howell.
“He stepped in and he rose to the occasion and I thought he gave us life and gave us a spark,” Bieniemy said of Brissett.
The Commanders handed the starting job to Howell at the start of the year, and it hasn’t worked out. Any spark Brissett can provide is too little, too late.