Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said that Sam Howell will start at quarterback on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post.

Sam Howell was benched ahead of the Commanders' game against the San Francisco 49ers last week, but Jacoby Brissett's injury made Howell the starter again. Now, after previously stating that they would not name their starter to prevent the Cowboys from getting a head start on preparation, Ron Rivera confirmed that Sam Howell will start, not Jacoby Brissett.

The Commanders are looking to finish out the season strong against the Cowboys on Sunday. Washington is out of the playoff conversation, and there is likely change coming to the organization as soon as Monday after the game. It will be interesting to see what happens following the close of the season. For now, Howell will try to turn in a quality performance to make a statement towards the organization in the offseason. It would be a big game in regards to whether or not he remains the starting quarterback in 2024.

The outcome of the game could determine that as well, as the Commanders could end up picking as high as second in the NFL Draft this spring, with highly-touted quarterback prospects like Caleb Williams and Drake Maybe potentially being available. A win could take the Commanders out of position to draft one of those two quarterbacks.

Regardless, it will be interesting to see how Howell fares against a Cowboys team trying to clinch the NFC East with a win this Sunday.