Why are Washington Commanders fans so upset with a victory?
Washington beat a comparable opponent in the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Indeed, that victory may turn into a tie-breaker should they finish tied for a wild-card spot.
Quarterback Sam Howell threw a personal-best three touchdowns against the Falcons. That's the same number Danny Wuerffel threw in seven games under Steve Spurrier. One more than John Beck managed for coach Mike Shanahan, who indeed bet his personal reputation on Beck being an NFL starter. Beck and Rex Grossman are two reasons why Shanahan hasn't reached Canton.
Jamin Davis grabbed his first interception, as did Benjamin St-Juste. Kendall Fuller stole one, too. Memories of that big contract are suddenly brighter.
And so many subs did their jobs. Cornelius Lucas didn't give up one pressure at left tackle. Makes one wonder why he doesn't start at right tackle when Charles Leno returns. Linebacker Khaleke Hudson, running back Chris Rodriguez, cornerback Danny Johnson, and end Casey Toohill were among the lesser knowns to share the spotlight. And, did you see Jamison Crowder's 61-yard punt return?
Many NFL games are more about who lost the game than won. Certainly, Washington has given away more games over the last two decades than stockings stuffed by Santa. The Falcons could have won if not for turnovers. Give Washington credit for taking advantage of them.
But, it doesn't seem enough to have ended a three-game losing streak heading into Sunday's game at the New York Giants. Maybe the season hasn't gone quite as planned, but 3-3 was a fair expectation nearing midseason, where coach Ron Rivera does his best work.
Fans want Rivera and most of his assistants gone now, much less January, so any success is met with snide remarks. They didn't work the game clock right. The play calling was off here and there. Like everything is supposed to be perfect.
Notice Philadelphia and San Francisco lost on Sunday? Nothing's perfect in the NFL very often. It's not a lopsided league like college football. Washington hasn't seen near perfection since its 1991 championship, and even then lost a couple close games. That team was awesome, the pinnacle of Joe Gibbs' era, and it was dismantled two years later.
There are no bad wins in the NFL, just bad losses. You'd think Commanders fans would know the difference. By season's end, nobody will remember the game, just the victory. Remember the raggedy opening win over Arizona? I didn't think so.
If fans can't enjoy wins, why are they watching? Are people still bitter over not getting the name change of their choice? Or having to wait for a new stadium? I mean, Josh Harris has owned the team for nearly two months. What's he waiting for to build it – a handout?
"I wake up every morning with a great desire to live joyfully," said Anna Howard Shaw. The 72-year-old suffragette leader died mere weeks after U.S. women were given the right to vote, but she enjoyed the fight for equal rights and saw victory at the end.
So, enjoy the fight. Someday, it will be worthwhile.
