It’s already time to be worried. The Washington Commanders face a must-win on opening day and may not be at full strength or ready.
Coach Ron Rivera isn’t talking about defensive end Chase Young’s status after suffering a stinger after four snaps in the preseason opener.
“We're not going to talk about that,” he has twice said despite Young seeing a doctor for contact approval last week.
That’s scary.
And oh, “Scary Terry” McLaurin has been out with a toe injury that isn’t supposed to be a big deal. That is, until it is if he misses the opener versus the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 10. Defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis’ status is also a non-answer by Rivera after barely playing last year as a second-round pick.
Transparency is a muddy subject with coaches, but it’s easy to see the team could miss key players against Arizona. Normally, it wouldn’t be too worrisome, given the Cardinals are probably the NFL’s worst team and playing a long shot at quarterback.
But Rivera has been known in three seasons in Washington for poor starts, strong midseasons, and fading finishes. If the Super Bowl was played on Halloween, this team would be scary. Instead, it’s carved up early and late.
In 2020, Washington won Rivera’s debut over Philadelphia, then lost five straight with the defense allowing 30 or more four times.
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In 2021, Washington’s defense was supposed to stand out. Instead, it lost to the Los Angeles Chargers 20-16, barely beat the New York Giants 30-29, lost to Buffalo 43-21, and edged Atlanta 34-30 before losing the next four.
Last year, Washington opened with a 28-22 win over Jacksonville before losing four straight because of poor defensive production.
Washington enters a gotta-win game with a defense that has largely played little, and some players not since the preseason opener a month earlier. Momentum? There’s no such thing. Upsets? Happen all the time in the NFL.
Rivera is on a short leash from fans that becomes a choke collar if they don't overwhelm Arizona. Certainly, the new team owners want to see happy people in the stands that, for once, will be more Commanders fans than not.
It’s not that Washington can throw away a win in the opener and still make the playoffs. But, truth told, it can’t. Losing to Arizona would make coach Jim Zorn’s final season a comparative honeymoon versus Rivera’s probable exit.
On paper, Washington looks like a potential 10-win team with lots of young talent. But, the team only flashed occasionally through the preseason and much of that was by reserves.
Quarterback Sam Howell surprised even Rivera with his preseason play, which is a scary thought. Rivera’s era will be defined by bad passers flipped annually if Howell doesn’t come through. But, Howell only succeeds if the offensive line holds, and that’s uncertain. That was the thought since Day 1 of the offseason, and remains so on the eve of the season.
Maybe ownership change prevented Rivera from doing more, but Norv Turner produced his best team in 1999 under similar circumstances.
Rivera is confident in everything asked. This being the same guy who angrily rebuffed questions on Carson Wentz last season while saying he was the one who found the passer. Yeah, how’d that go?
Washington is a seven-point favorite over Arizona. Truly, the only thing that matters is winning. And, that won’t be as simple as CBS Sports calling Washington one of the stronger opening-day picks. Anyone paying attention to Washington for the past generation knows nothing is ever simple for the Commanders.
Follow Rick Snider on Twitter: @Snide_Remarks
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