The Washington Commanders fell to 4-10 after a 28-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 15. Perhaps most importantly, at this point, Washington remained in the No. 4 position in the 2024 NFL draft order.
The Commanders appeared headed for another blowout loss against the Rams, but head coach Ron Rivera made a quarterback change midway through the fourth quarter. Veteran Jacoby Brissett replaced Sam Howell under center and led two late touchdown drives to make the final score more respectable.
Rivera said after the game the move was to protect Howell and that he remained Washington’s starting quarterback for the remainder of the season.
While the Commanders lost, so did the rest of the NFC East. For the first time this season, all four division teams lost on the same weekend. How did that impact the newest power rankings?
Let’s review the latest power rankings from the various media outlets.
ESPN
Ranking: No. 30
Last week: No. 29
Nothing sums up Washington’s season like being tied for first with Arizona for touchdowns allowed (43). That’s seven more than the Commanders allowed all last season when the defense ranked third in yards and seventh in scoring. But a main reason Washington went from an 8-8-1 mark in 2022 to 4-10 this season stems from a defense that has plummeted to the bottom of the league.
NFL.com
Ranking: No. 31
Last week: No. 31
First-half Sam Howell was 7-for-16 passing for 52 yards, and the Commanders trailed 13-0 at the break. Then, after an impressive TD drive, Howell had a three-and-out and an interception and was pulled with Washington down 28-7 for Jacoby Brissett, who brought the team back late Sunday. Howell’s season has been a strange one, with some truly impressive streaks and production for a first-year starter. His toughness and guts to attempt difficult throws can’t be overlooked, and he’s clearly flashed a playmaking knack. But there’s no chance, no matter who the head coach is, that Washington goes into next season with only Howell and Brissett (or a similar-caliber player) vying for the starting job. Maybe it’s a young benched starter from elsewhere or a draft pick, but Howell will be better served if he is truly pushed. Plus, not knowing what kind of an offense the 2024 Commanders might run, Howell isn’t talented or efficient enough yet to be anointed into any role for next year.
CBS Sports
Ranking: No. 31
Last week: No. 31
It’s only a few more weeks and a coaching change is coming. Even the offense didn’t look good against the Rams, which led to Sam Howell sitting down.
USA TODAY Sports
Ranking: No. 29
Last week: No. 30
So it was a good idea to trade DEs Chase Young and Montez Sweat but keep QB2 Jacoby Brissett in a league hemorrhaging passers? Got it.
Touchdown Wire
Ranking: No. 29
Last week: No. 29
Death, taxes, and the Commanders allowing a deep touchdown pass with no defensive back in a 15 yard radius of the receiver who scores. This team just needs to get to the offseason and begin this rebuild.
The Athletic
Ranking: No. 31
Last week: No. 31
Ron Rivera said he pulled Howell from Sunday’s game to protect him because the Rams defense was in a position to be very aggressive in its pass rush. Then Jacoby Brissett went 8-for-10 and led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. Howell is seventh in the league in passing yards (3,568), but his negative plays have outweighed all that yardage. Howell leads the league in both interceptions (15) and sacks (59).
Yahoo Sports
Ranking: No. 31
Last week: No. 31
Sam Howell seemed to be getting better in midseason but, like the Commanders season as a whole, it steadily went south. He had 102 yards in more than three quarters on Sunday; Jacoby Brissett had 124 in a little more than nine minutes after entering the game at QB. Howell’s fade is disappointing because for a few weeks it really seemed like Washington might have an answer at quarterback.
Pro Football Talk
Ranking: No. 30
Last week: No. 31
Magic Johnson’s Twitter account will soon become one of the most important follows for every Commanders fan.
Bleacher Report
Ranking: No. 29
Last week: No. 29
It has been a miserable season for the Washington Commanders. And in Sunday’s loss to the Rams, head coach Ron Rivera finally pulled struggling quarterback Sam Howell in favor of veteran Jacoby Brissett.
Despite the fact that Brissett played arguably the best quarterback of the season for the team, head coach Ron Rivera told reporters after yet another defeat that Howell will start in Week 16—he was simply trying to loosen the pounding taken by a quarterback who has been sacked more times (59) than any signal-caller in the league.
“Just wanted to take care of him a little bit,” Rivera said. “In a situation with their ears pulled back like that, I didn’t want to see anything crazy.”
Sobleski doesn’t see the point in going back to Howell.
“Rivera benched Sam Howell Sunday and veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett looked better during his limited time,” he said. “The decision should serve as a watershed moment for the organization. Howell has been tough and productive. At the same time, he leads the NFL in interceptions and Washington has been eliminated from the postseason. The organization decided to give the 2022 fifth-round draft pick an opportunity to seize the starting job long-term. Clearly, it hasn’t happened. So the Commanders now find themselves in the quarterback market again. With new ownership and potential change coming among the coaching staff and front office, it’s a natural progression toward a different direction.”
FOX Sports
Ranking: No. 28
Last week: No. 30
It’s awfully interesting that the Commanders’ offense showed some life as soon as Ron Rivera replaced Sam Howell with Jacoby Brissett. Even still, I think Rivera’s decision to stick with Howell moving forward is the right one. Washington is eliminated. Giving the young guy the reps makes the most sense.
