Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera often seems to have a grasp of his team’s pulse and what’s best in most situations. But Rivera’s latest decision to let Taylor Heinicke sit and put Carson Wentz back in the starting lineup could be the silliest move of the year in Washington. Well, at least on the field. There’s so much going on off the field with this brand, IT’s long past shame.
When football decisions are involved, this move by Rivera seems deaf voice. Like a knee-jerk reaction after being dominated by hottest team in football, San Francisco. That is a team that won eight in one row. So Washington is hardly alone. Heinicke is not bad against 49erswhen he completes more than 72% of his passes and throws for touch the ball twice. He had one interception, but the Commanders in this game are going into the fourth inning with just seven points.
Washington is can increase 20 points compared to Niners, which is the most games San Francisco has dropped in this eight-game winning streak. We understand that there is no such thing as an “ethical” win in the NFL. But to have Heinicke on the bench after that performance when you can’t say he was the absolute cause of your team’s loss is ludicrous. Washington simply met a better team.
Add the fact that Wentz’s teammates don’t care much for him, which makes this all the more confusing. Same goes for Wentz’s return to Philadelphia. Lacks leadership qualities and he is not related to the players in the dressing room. If anyone knows how important it is to have respect in the locker room, it’s Rivera, the Super Bowl-winning defender for the Chicago Bears in the 1980s..
Honestly, it looks like Rivera is looking for a reason to bring Wentz back to the field. Is he better than Heinecke? Does offense improve when Wentz is in the center? Before playing against the 49ers on Christmas Eve, Wentz had not played for more than two months. It was a mid-October win over the Bears, 12-7, where the previous #2 pick looked lousy. He completed only 55% of his passes and had a passer rate of 66.3.
If this is Rivera’s answer in hopes of keeping that last NFC wildcard position, they might as well pack it now. Putting your fate in the hands of Carson Wentz has been unsuccessful in the past. You can ask Jim Irsay about that. Colts Owner Looks Likely Ready to strangle Wentz after Indianapolis Fall on Week 17 and 18 seasons ago it only took one win to get through the season. That relationship turned sour so quickly that I’m drunk transport Wentz left after a year.
Obviously, the Commanders had few viable options in the QB position, but Wentz was never the answer to the puzzle. He was very good at Philly for a short time but is gone dressing room. With Indy, he never had it, and the same seems to be evident in Washington. Putting the Browns up against might be a blessing, but if there’s a way to deal with this, Wentz will find it.
