Commanders beat Bears, however the win feels hole
By Ralph Vacchiano
FOX Sports activities NFC East Author
The scoreboard signifies the Washington Commanders gained on Thursday night time. The standings will present they saved their fading hopes within the NFC East alive. That ought to’ve made this day for all of them.
However the actuality? It was something however.
Regardless of how they tried to spin it after the sport was over, there was little or no for the Commanders to be ok with after their 12-7 win in Chicago. It was an terrible show of soccer and a setback for them in nearly each conceivable approach. It left them with much more questions on their workforce than solutions.
It was simply the capper on a day that started with extra turmoil for probably the most troubled, dysfunctional franchise within the NFL — if not in all of sports activities. Earlier within the day, ESPN published a scathing report about Commanders owner Dan Snyder and the way he was accumulating “filth” on his fellow house owners and threatening to “blow up” the league in the event that they tried to drive him to promote the franchise. The report additionally included the juicy tidbit that he pushed for the offseason commerce for quarterback Carson Wentz over the objection of his soccer individuals.
It is unclear why anybody would need to take credit score for the Wentz commerce after he was outplayed by Chicago’s Justin Fields and accomplished simply 12 of twenty-two passes for an abysmal 99 yards on this “win”. However that final level actually appeared to tick off Commanders coach Ron Rivera, who defended his quarterback — and insisted it actually was his quarterback — earlier than storming off the rostrum after the sport.
“Everyone retains saying I did not need something to do with Carson. Effectively, bulls—t,” Rivera mentioned. “I am the f—ing man that pulled out the sheets of paper, that appeared on the analytics, that watched the tape. That is what pisses me off. As a result of the younger man would not should have that on a regular basis.”
Effectively, these weren’t the phrases or the tone of a coach reveling in victory. It is extra of an indication of the frustration Rivera must be feeling after a very troublesome week. Bear in mind, it was solely 4 days in the past that he ignited a firestorm and created undesirable headlines when he was requested why the Commanders had fallen thus far behind the opposite groups within the NFC East and he answered “quarterback” earlier than taking a really lengthy pause.
His quarterback was an enormous drawback on Thursday night time, however Wentz was removed from the one one. Commanders receiver Curtis Samuel had at the very least three clear drops, together with one on what ought to have been a 40-yard landing go that went proper by way of his palms. The Commanders’ crumbling offensive line bought Wentz sacked three extra occasions, placing him on tempo to be sacked a ridiculous 65 occasions this season (sure, actually). They managed simply 214 complete yards and 128 dashing yards in opposition to a Bears protection that was giving up 170 dashing yards per sport.
There have been additionally dangerous penalties, just like the false begin on Third-and-goal from the Chicago 5 early within the fourth quarter, when the Commanders appeared like they have been on the verge of taking the lead with a landing, however as an alternative settled for a discipline objective that left them in a 7-6 gap.
“It is by no means simple,” Washington coach Ron Rivera mentioned. “Particularly while you do foolish stuff.”
Foolish stuff and dangerous stuff was the whole repertoire on this terrible sport. And let’s be severe: The one motive they gained is as a result of Bears rookie receiver Velus Jones Jr. made one of many worst makes an attempt at catching a punt in NFL historical past within the fourth quarter, dropping to his knees and apparently shedding sight of the ball because it hit him within the facemask. That occurred with 8:06 left within the sport, and the Commanders recovered his fumble on the Chicago 6-yard line.
It was actually the Commanders’ handiest offensive play of the sport.
They scored two performs later, on a 1-yard run by rookie working again Brian Robinson — an amazing story contemplating he was shot within the leg in an tried car-jacking two months in the past. In reality, for another franchise on another night time, that might’ve been the story of the sport.
However even that feel-good second could not overshadow the remainder of the Commanders’ mess.
At this level, is there something that may?
“It has been exhausting, it actually has,” an indignant Rivera mentioned about his workforce. “You lose 4 video games in a row and everyone desires to get on you. And so they performed their asses off. They’ve. They play their asses off for everyone. They arrive out they usually present up, they work exhausting, they do not complain. They hear all these items they usually’ve bought to take care of it.”
Coping with it comes with the territory in Washington, the place a cloud of controversy will hover over them so long as Snyder is their proprietor. It will be quite a bit simpler, after all, in the event that they have been profitable. However they did not look able to profitable many video games the best way they performed in Chicago. And Wentz did not look able to profitable many video games for them, no matter who wished to commerce for him again in March.
Wentz mentioned this was a “enormous” win. Defensive deal with Jonathan Allen mentioned it was “a step in the fitting path.” And positive, being 2-4 is best than 1-5 in a division the place nobody else has multiple loss thus far.
However the Commanders did not seem like a workforce prepared to make use of this win as a springboard to the remainder of their season. They appeared like a workforce overwhelmed by controversy, annoyed by their very own limitations and incapable of taking part in properly.
“We’ll take a win, particularly with the skid we have been on, by any means needed,” Wentz mentioned. “It feels good.”
Does it? Sure, it was a win for a franchise that positive may use one. However the entire day simply appeared and felt like extra of a loss.
Ralph Vacchiano is the NFC East reporter for FOX Sports activities, overlaying the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He spent the earlier six years overlaying the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and earlier than that, 16 years overlaying the Giants and the NFL for the New York Each day Information. Comply with him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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