The Washington Commanders are making a change at quarterback for Sunday's game against the 49ers, benching second-year pro Sam Howell and starting veteran Jacoby Brissett, coach Ron Rivera announced Wednesday morning.
"We're going to go forward and have Jacoby as our starter," Rivera told reporters. "I think it's probably a good opportunity for Sam to take a break. This is about Sam's continued development, and things haven't gone as well as we'd like the last few weeks, so it's just a good opportunity for him to watch."
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Howell completed just 6 of 22 passes for 56 yards and zero touchdowns with two interceptions in the Commanders' 30-28 loss to the New York Jets last week, before Brissett entered and went 10-of-13 passing for 100 yards and one touchdown.
Howell also was benched the previous week for Brissett, who then brought the Commanders to within one touchdown of the Los Angeles Rams after trailing by more than 20 points in the third quarter.
Sunday will be Brissett's 80th career game and his 49th start. The 31-year-old -- who also has played for the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns -- hasn't faced the 49ers since 2017, when he threw for 314 yards in a 26-23 Indy home win in overtime.
The Commanders picked Howell in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he spent his rookie season as a backup before being named the starter in 2023. Brissett signed with Washington this offseason to be Howell's mentor, but with the Commanders 4-11 and eliminated from playoff contention, they're trying something new.
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"Jacoby being the professional that he is and playing the way he has will give Sam an opportunity to really see some things and see how the offense goes," Rivera said. "I think it'll help him."
So, instead of facing a second-year pro who leads the NFL in interceptions thrown (17) this season, the 49ers will try to stop a veteran QB who can take care of the football (just 23 career picks) and run if so needed (915 yards, 15 TDs in his career). How that will impact San Francisco's chances of winning Sunday and maintaining the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed remains to be seen.
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