Sam Howell took another step toward becoming the Commanders official starting quarterback after his impressive preseason debut. Howell and the Commanders got the win 17-15 over the Cleveland Browns in his first start for the 2023 season.

Head coach Ron Rivera saw a lot of things he liked from Howell in the victory. When asked about Howell his response was, “Very encouraged. A lot of good things,” Rivera said. “I thought he threw some really good balls. I thought his decision-making was what you want. He looked to have command of things. It was good to see him get into a rhythm. Again, a good positive start for our guys,” per Christian Gonzalez of NFL.com.

Though Rivera has stated that Howell will get the first-team reps headed into training camp and the preseason, he has also made it clear that Howell still has to earn the starting quarterback role.

Friday's win was a great start for Howell, who impressed both statistically and with his playmaking. Howell went 9-for-12 for 77 yards and one touchdown on just three drives. His best play came on the touchdown drive when he completed a 15 yard pass while on the run and under pressure on 4th and 3 to get the first down. He then capped the drive off with a 26 yard pass to second-year receiver Jahan Dotson for the touchdown.
Sam Howell's biggest blip of the night was allowing a safety early on in the game. However, the culpability lies on both him and the offensive line for that blunder.
Still, Howell's performance should keep Jacoby Brissett off his back for the time being.