The Washington Commanders fell to 4-11 after Sunday’s 30-28 loss to the New York Jets. It was Washington’s sixth consecutive loss, but, in some good news, the Commanders rose one spot in the 2024 NFL draft order.
What about the NFL power rankings?
Over the past few weeks, Washington has remained mostly between No. 26-30 in the various power rankings. With the Commanders losing again — and likely not winning over the final two weeks against the 49ers and Cowboys — where are they in the Week 17 power rankings?
Let’s take a look around the NFL media world and see where Washington is in the latest power rankings.
NFL.com
Ranking: No. 31
Last week: No. 31
The Sam Howell discussion has turned a little dark in recent weeks, as he’s been upstaged in each of the past two games by Jacoby Brissett in relief. Had that happened earlier in the season, prior to Howell showing some real promise, it might not have been so bad. But there has been a clear regression over the past two weeks, in terms of both Howell’s play (17-of-48 passing, 158 yards, one TD, three picks in that span) and the offense’s performance with him on the field. Meanwhile, Brissett has led TD drives on five of his past six chances. Is it worth giving the journeyman a couple late-season starts? It might not have any bearing on what happens next season, but it could give Howell a little mental break and allow him to see the game from a different perspective, with a 2024 reboot being the biggest focus.
Yahoo Sports
Ranking: No. 31
Last week: No. 31
Sam Howell was 6-of-22 for 56 yards and a minuscule 1.7 passer rating. For the second straight week, Jacoby Brissett came in and looked much better. Howell made strides in the middle portion of the season. Then he hit a wall, and unless there’s a big turnaround the last two games — it’s possible Howell doesn’t get another snap this season — it will be impossible for the Commanders to go into 2024 with him as their starter.
USA TODAY Sports
Ranking: No. 31
Last week: No. 29
Just imagine how formidable they might look if QB2 Jacoby Brissett got to play a whole half …
Touchdown Wire
Ranking: No. 31
Last week: No. 29
Giving up 17 first-quarter points to the Jets is almost impressive in its incompetence. This Commanders team is limping to the offseason.
FOX Sports
Ranking: No. 31
Last week: No. 28
This makes two straight weeks when Jacoby Brissett has sparked the Commanders in ways Sam Howell was unable to. Considering that Washington is currently slated to own a top-five draft pick, I’m starting to wonder whether they draft a new franchise quarterback.
CBS Sports
Ranking: No. 31
Last week: No. 31
At least they showed some fight against the Jets. The bad news is they now have quarterback questions.
Pro Football Talk
Bleacher Report
Ranking: No. 30
Last week: No. 29
For the second successive week, the Washington Commanders sat down quarterback Sam Howell after a dismal start to a game. And for the second successive week, veteran Jacoby Brissett came in and outplayed Howell by a wide margin, even if it wasn’t enough to get the Commanders a win.
While speaking to reporters after the game, Howell (who was a dismal 6-for-22 for 56 yards with a pair of interceptions) said mostly the same things he has said after every clunker this year—that he’s a young quarterback still learning the nuances of the game.
“I know it is still early in my career,” Howell said. “I am still a young player, and I just have to keep doing what I can to keep trying to get better and not let this moment define who I am as a player or who I am as a person. I won’t let it define me.”
At least one of our analysts has seen enough though.
“We have seen enough of Sam Howell under center to know that he’s not the guy for the Commanders,” Davenport said. “At least not in the long term. As things stand now after the loss to the Trevor Siemian-led Jets, the Commanders would pick third in 2024. So, I’d let Howell go ahead and start the final two games against the 49ers and Cowboys. The last thing Washington needs right now is to mess around and win a game.”
The Athletic
Ranking: No. 30
Last week: No. 31
MVP: Curtis Samuel
An argument could be made for Montez Sweat, who still leads the Commanders in sacks (six) despite playing there for only eight weeks before being traded to the Bears, but that feels mean. Samuel hasn’t had a stellar season — 565 yards — but he has provided some stability.
