I noticed Rivera got emotional - gotta wonder if he either knows he isn't coming back or wonders if he might not be back?
Orrrrrr maybe he was thinking "After 3 years I finally found my QB1! I really did!"
Okay, long post incoming!
I'm not anointing Howell as the second coming of the Football Jesus, but I was super impressed by what he achieved.
The context means a lot here:
He's a rookie.
Meaningless game against what should have been a motivated 12-4 team gunning for the number 1 seed.
Playing behind a maligned O-line that was playing scrubs.
Playing without BRob or Gibson to shoulder the running game.
Playing in his first live NFL game (and first game since pre-season)
Playing with the pressure of knowing that the crowd would either be pro-Dallas, or in the event he screwed up would be hollering for Heineke.
Playing after practicing most of the year with the scrubs being used as the Scout team.
Playing perhaps our number one divisional arch rival team and all the pressure that comes with that.
Playing opposite a Defense that also had major pieces missing (Allen, Davis, St Juste, Curl, etc)
Counter context:
Dallas played like Sh*t.
Our undermanned defense balled out! In a meaningless game! Who saw that coming?!
Conclusions:
Yes there was the bad interception, but it wasn't worse than the three Wentz threw in a meaningful game against a 7-9 team last week. So I'll forgive him that one. He's a rookie after all, and that was early on.
And yes, there was only 169 yards of passing offence, but he almost completed another couple of deep balls that could have added another 100 yards to that. I know it's 'coulda shoulda' but again, he was a rookie in his first game. He was adjusting to playing with our top WRs and they were adjusting to him. The results of increased chemistry between Howell and this WR group are a tantalizing prospect.
Boy can run. Not only that he can run over people.
His decision making is pretty darned good. He was doing smart things most of the time that we've seen QBs need to learn. Feeling pressure, knowing when to tuck and run, sliding (remember the RGIII years!) etc.
The game never looked bigger than him, and the more he played the more he seemed to settle in. Which considering the opposition (and the context listed above) is all the more impressive. Especially considering how the high paid 7 year Veteran (Wentz) looked like a deer caught in headlights against the Browns.
The more I look at Wentz, the more I feel like he just doesn't have it. He just lacks the toughness that both Heineke and maybe Howell have. For all the kind words that came out from the team and players about Wentz and his work ethic and how he connected to the players, you could just sense that he was never 'loved' by his teammates in the same way Heineke is. I think that's crucial to how the team seemed to get up for playing with Heineke but were ambivalent to playing with Wentz. There's definitely a chemistry thing at work, and I don't think Ron and co realized how profound an effect that was.
I said in chat yesterday, what I'd like to see for the next season is for Wentz to be gone. Spend that money on resigning Payne and then shore up the O-Line through FA/Draft.
Give Howell the season. Expect growing pains, but let him take the reins and see if he flies. Resign Heineke to back him up. I then think you've got two QBs who are tough, can win, are good locker room presences, and the other players respect.
I think I've also seen enough of Scott Turner to figure he's at least part of the problem. I think we need a new OC too.
I think if those things came to pass, I'd feel pretty good rolling into next year.
Oh and NO MORE DAN!
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