Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera was taken aback Sunday during a press conference when he found out that his team could be on the verge of postseason elimination.
Following the Commanders’ 14-point loss on their home field to the Cleveland Browns, Rivera was asked if he’d be willing to make yet another change at quarterback next Sunday for the final game of the regular season if the Green Bay Packers were to defeat the Minnesota Vikings, thus mathematically eliminating them from the postseason race. Rivera appeared dumbfounded and replied, “we could be eliminated…?”
Ron Rivera had no idea that they could be eliminated from playoff contention tonight with a Packers win.pic.twitter.com/5eLov5Emxm
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) January 1, 2023
It’s actually pretty stunning to see a head coach in the NFL have zero idea where his team stands in a tightly contested playoff race. At that level of this sport, you’d imagine that the head coach and the organization as a whole would be aware of what they would have to do in order to make it to the postseason as the season winds down.
Rivera being shocked like this is a really bad look. It makes me wonder if Rivera was in tune at all this season with what was happening around him. (RELATED: Robert Griffin III Bounces Mid Broadcast After Being Told That His Wife Was In Labor)
Prior to Washington’s beatdown by the Browns on Sunday, Rivera named Carson Wentz as their starting quarterback in hopes that he would lead them on a magical late season run, but it completely backfired. Wentz threw for a measly 143 yards and had three interceptions, according to ESPN.
With the loss, the Commanders needed Green Bay to lose to the Vikings to keep their playoff dreams alive, but the Packers annihilated Minnesota by over 30 points to put themselves ahead of Washington in the NFC standings.
It’s hard to say what the future holds for the Washington Commanders but landing a new head coach who actually knows what’s going on around him seems like a logical first step. The only way for the Commanders to begin to improve upon their failed season is by getting rid of Rivera during the offseason.