Hold On

[Boone]

​

Hold on.

That’s really all Washington ‘Commanders’ fans can do.

And holding on… it’s a bitch. Because it’s all most of us have been able to muster over 25 years of desolation and disappointment. We’ve held on. And with the ouster of Dan Snyder, we’re sick to death of holding on. Many of our compatriots long ago tired of it all and stormed out or drifted away. This fanbase has been on life support for a long, long time.

A season full of sellouts at Fed Ex Field, this time mostly comprised of our own actual fans, speaks to a new belief and enthusiasm.

But as Thursday night’s ass whipping at the hands of the formerly woeful Chicago Bears emphatically reminded us, change does not often happen overnight.

It’s easy, in the anger and embarrassment of a shockingly bad performance, to slip back into negativity, pessimism, and cynicism. Nothing has changed. It’s the same old same old. Why do I continue to subject myself to this?

But things have changed. Monumentally. Seismically.

Lord Voldemort (please address him as ‘Lord’) is vanquished. Can there be a more paradigm-shifting event than the exit of Dan Snyder? I think we can say with some assurance that this franchise was doomed for our lifetimes with a Snyder at the top of the leadership structure. Not even Saint Joe could overcome that deleterious influence.

The second biggest limitation on this franchise’s potential rise has been the inability to find anyone approaching a franchise QB. Kirk Cousins, on a really good Sunday, did a reasonable impression of one, but even there, Cousins was smart enough to sprint for the exit the first chance he had.

By sheer dumb luck and good fortune, the current brain trust has stumbled onto Sam Howell. A year after drafting him in the 5th round, in an attempt to save his job and appease a restless fanbase, Ron Rivera has finally given the young UNC product a chance.

And man has Howell taken advantage of it. Sure. It’s early. But most of us have already seen enough. Howell is a gamer with a big arm, capable of incredibly accurate throws, dangerous with his feet, and possessing toughness and a never-say-die attitude. Imperfections and learning curve aside, it’s impossible not to love what we are seeing from Howell and begin to envision what he might be capable of in the years to come.

So, as unhappy and beleaguered as the Washington fanbase is this week – if you had said just two years ago, in 2023, Washington will be lead by different owners and may have found it’s franchise QB – one cannot overstate how ecstatic we would’ve been.

Be ecstatic people. These things have actually happened.

There’s more to be excited about.

Our offensive supporting cast is an impressive group, maybe the best we have had since Santana Moss and Desean Jackson were streaking down the sidelines. Our RB room is promising. Best of all, we may already be looking at the man who can make this offense a top 5 group that other teams dread facing.

Our defense, while underperforming especially early in seasons, has too much talent to be performing like they did last Thursday night. But we know, with the right coaches and scheme, there is huge potential there.

We are missing some significant pieces. The OL and DBs are huge question marks. Our LB corps (if you can call a couple of players a ‘Corps’) is suspect. We need a top tier defensive QB, the next London Fletcher, in the biggest way. We probably need an upgrade at placekicker. This is not a complete roster, but neither is it bereft of talent.

We’re not there yet. But you can see the potential. That’s a much greater position to be in than many franchises in a ‘rebuild’ face. Does anyone doubt that with another draft or two, with the right GM and coaches, that this team can be a legitimate playoff threat and maybe much more than that?

Yes. Last Thursday looked a lot like every other humiliatingly epic failure we’ve experienced over the years. Same old same old. But the changes really required for this franchise to finally have the opportunity to return to the respected ranks of top tier perennial playoff teams are yet to occur. But I have to believe they are coming.

They ARE coming.

We just have to hold on.

 

[Boone]

It's more dramatic when my friend Morgan reads it.

 

[Canadian Hog]

You are a great fan, John. Thank you for the perspective. I checked out at halftime of the Chicago game, fueled with anger. It crossed my mind to throw in the towel for good. I have been miserable ever since. I needed this.

 

[Chris]

 

[Boone]

I've probably written the same 'hold on'/'believe' blog 10 or more times over the years. This one feels a little different because... well, you know... he's gone...

 

[DieselPwr44]

It helps.....

 

[Boone]

As someone who has watched the last 2 games stone cold sober, I think you’re dead on with that advice DP

 

[burgold]

Great OP, Boone.

I'm still holding on even though the branch seems to be cracking and the vultures seem to be pecking.

 

[Neophyte]

We said it from the beginning and maybe some of us, myself included, forgot it - this was always going to be a frustrating season.

It is Oct 8th - Harris and Co haven't even owned the team for three whole months yet. It really isn't a lot of time. Consider that many companies have longer probationary periods for new employees.

This season was set in stone long before the final approvals happened in League meetings on July 20th.

Things we knew before that:

1. Howell would be the starter and he had only 1 game of NFL experience.
2. Bienemy had complete control of an NFL offense for the first time in his life.
3. Despite the talent level on defense, JDR was still going to be the coordinator.
4. The offensive line was an afterthought - again.
5. Chase Young was a huge question mark.
6. Linebacker was a huge question mark.
7. Kicker was a huge question mark.

Then we went undefeated in pre-season - something we all know logically doesn't mean much but emotionally it felt like something.

Then we won our first two games. Granted, we didn't win either in a convincing manner but we found a way which sort of felt different. Especially the Denver game with that huge effort to come from behind on the road.

The loss to the Eagles was explainable - I mean, they went to the Super Bowl last year. At the same time, our tough opener with the Cards was looking better after they beat everybody's darling, the Cowboys.

However, the game with the Bears brings us full circle. At least it did me. It reminded me of everything I told myself in the off-season while I waited for Harris to take over, everything I knew to be true less than 3 months ago when the NFL stamped "SOLD" across the For Sale sign in the yard in Ashburn.

Namely, it reminded me that we are still coached by Ron Rivera, still starting essentially a rookie QB, and still have a DC who has about 8 great games a season.

It reminded me that Harris has had less than 3 months. For all the feel-good factor the man has brought, he hasn't had a chance to make a single change to the on-field product. That is all still the work of the former owner.

And it reminded me that this season was always going to be frustrating.