Late in the game, does Ron Rivera want to win or protect his team against injuries?
At times the explanation for his end-of-game decisions from Washington Football Team’s head coach is unclear.
Sunday Rivera said part of his philosophy is, “the only way you learn to win is to play to win.” But other times he said he didn’t take timeouts to extend games to try for a comeback because he wanted to prevent injuries.
Here is a look at several situations through five games when Rivera’s explanation about the importance of winning and learning to win hasn’t always lined up:
Week 2: Not taking timeouts vs. Arizona Cardinals
After Washington cut the Cardinals lead to 27-15 with just under seven minutes remaining, Rivera did not use any timeouts on the next possession. Arizona burned nearly six minutes off the clock and iced the game.
Why did Rivera let that happen?
“At that point, I don’t want to expose my players to injury,” Rivera explained after the loss. “It’s a long season. We’ve got 14 games left to play. We got an opportunity to learn and grow, and that’s probably, to me, a little bit more important right now than exposing our guys to getting injured in a situation like that.”
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Rivera added: “I don’t want to expose my guys to certain injuries in certain situations. At that point, it’s fruitless to go out there and expose guys to getting hurt.”
“If I felt the game was closer and in-hand, yeah I probably would have done it, but I’m not going to do that. To me that doesn’t make sense,” he said. “I’ve played this game as well as coached it and I’ve seen guys try to do things, call timeout, and run a play and somebody gets hurt. That to me is counterproductive to what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to develop a football team and give guys opportunities to play. I’d hate to lose a guy in a situation like that and lose the game.”
Verdict: No timeouts to eliminate injury risk.
Week 3: Not taking timeouts vs. Cleveland Browns
With 5 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter and Washington down 31-20 to Cleveland, Rivera decided not to use any of his three timeouts in an attempt to get the ball back.
“As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing to answer,” Rivera said after the game about using his timeouts. “I did what I did. Again, like I told you guys, my concern is about the development of this football team, not appeasing anybody that has an opinion. Okay? I’m going to do what I need to do to help this football team.”
Rivera then went on to pivot to his reasoning: preventing injuries.
“You have to give it a chance, but you also have to be realistic about what is happening in terms of the injuries,” Rivera added. “Again, we had no preseason to develop, and you look throughout the league with the injuries right now, once we get past a certain point, yeah, but right now? Hey, I am working on developing my football team. This football team is a young team that is going to learn and grow, and we are going to learn and grow the way that I see fit for this organization.”
Verdict: No timeouts because of injuries and Rivera’s concern is developing the football team.
Week 4: Going for it on fourth-and-goal vs. Baltimore Ravens
Down 28-10 with 11:42 to play, Washington wasn't out of the game but didn't seem like they were close to a victory. However, quarterback Dwayne Haskins had the Washington offense in position to make it a two-score game with a short field goal. However, Rivera decided to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the Baltimore 13-yard line.
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Why take the risk instead of kicking the field goal? Rivera said he was testing his second-year QB.
“To be blunt about it—yes. It was fourth down, the ball’s got to go into the end zone or it’s got to be put into a situation where it can get into the end zone,” Rivera said when asked after the game.
“(I am) a little disappointed in the situational awareness. It was fourth down and we were supposed to be in goal-to-go and I decided to go for it. I wanted to see what would happen, I really did. That’s why I told them: ‘Let’s go for it,’” Rivera said.
Verdict: Testing Haskins was a worth not making it a 15-point game.
Week 5: Keeping in Alex Smith when Allen was cleared to play vs. Los Angeles Rams
After taking a big shot from the Rams’ Jalen Ramsey late in the first half, Kyle Allen (newly named the starter) left the game and Alex Smith made his NFL return. But Allen, who Rivera made the starter earlier that week, was cleared to play. Why didn’t he come back into the game?
Rivera said it was with “an abundance of caution” he didn’t play Allen because he took a big shot and “was still sore.”
“I just thought: Why risk putting him out there and taking another big shot that might have caused a little bit of damage?” Rivera said. “Yes, he was cleared. I took it as I was going to use him only if we needed to put him back out there because I didn’t want to risk taking another shot.”
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Rivera was concerned about the QB taking another shot. “If I put him back in and he takes another big shot, now we don’t have him moving forward.”
Verdict: Rivera wanted to prioritize Allen’s health over the chance to come back on the Rams in the second half.
Week 6: Going for two vs. New York Giants down 20-19
After Allen nearly lost the game with a terrible fumble, he nearly had the win with a touchdown pass to Cam Sims with 36 seconds remaining. Rivera decided to skip the 33-yard extra point to tie and went for the win in regulation. It didn’t work.
The reason? “I play to win,” Rivera said after the game.
“We played to win at the end, I went for two, because I believe it’s the only way you learn to win is to play to win,” Rivera said. “I’m going for it. The intent is to learn how to win football games.”
Rivera said his mentality is when you are on the road and need two yards, go for it.
"I’m trying to get our players to understand this is how we’re going to do things. We’re going to do things to the max. We’re going to play to win football games. It’s going to bug me because we lost," Rivera said Sunday. "It’s going to piss me off. I want to win football games. I don’t care this is my first year. I don’t care we have young guys that have to learn. We’re trying to teach them. We’re going to teach them and they’re going to learn how to win. And the end of the day, that’s what we’re here for."
Verdict: You play to win the game!
The reason for the different thinking: Rivera was fine working on development when Haskins was in at quarterback and with Allen in, Rivera wants to win. But against the Rams, Rivera decided to prioritize health over performance by keeping Smith in the game.
Perhaps Rivera is prioritizing prove Allen is the future and Haskins is the past.
Follow @BenKrimmel for more.
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