After a handful of low-performing games, two mid-game benchings, and stacked losses that led to the Washington Commanders being eliminated from the playoffs, the team has turned over the quarterback keys to veteran Jacoby Brissett. At least for this week.
When the Commanders take the field to host the San Francisco 49ers on New Year's Eve Brissett will be making his 49th start for his fifth different team and will be star receiver Terry McLaurin's 11th different starting quarterback in five years.
The veteran admitted Wednesday he didn't expect Week 17 to be when he got his first start in a Washington uniform after arriving this past offseason.
“Hell, no [laughs]! I mean that would not be a part of the, I would say my plan, to be at this point in the season," Brissett said when asked if he thought he'd wait this long to get his first start with the team. "But hey that's the cards you’re dealt.”
Brissett was informed he'll be starting this weekend ahead of practice on Wednesday and didn't have much time to fully digest the news by the time we met with him shortly afterward.
“Still processing it right now, obviously," Brissett said. "But that's how this league works, man. You got to go out there and just got to get ready to prepare to win a game.”
Brissett hasn't been able to win any games for Washington this season so far, but he's certainly been ready when his number was called.
In six drives over the past two weeks the veteran has led the offense on four touchdown-scoring drives and got his team to within one score of winning each of the past two games.
Those performances combined with Howell's dip in play have led to this decision, and Brissett says he's done it by simply being himself.
"Go try and play good football, play clean, and obviously the coaches make the decision as far as who plays and who doesn't play," he said. "But I was just going out there, just being myself and trying to give our team a chance.”
Brissett will now get the chance, and success will only drive the wedge between a once hopeful fan base and its young quarterback even deeper. And he hasn't forgotten how important it is to be a good teammate for his younger peer while he's preparing to take his place.
“He needs people in his corner right now. And I stand on the table and I'm behind him a hundred percent," Brissett said of Howell. "I'm still on his side and this doesn't change how I feel about him and what I think for his future that I hope it is and that he hopes it to be. It's still support and obviously, we got to go out there and get ready to win the game, but I'm able to be able to put the game to the side to take care of my teammate too.”
There aren't many fans who truly want to see Brissett lead the Commanders to victory this Sunday, because if he does the questions about what might have been will only intensify as the weeks of 2023 football fade away.
More must-reads: