Ron Rivera looking for a 'little bit of a spark' from Carson Wentz

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With the Washington Commanders clinging to a playoff spot and winless in their last three games, head coach Ron Rivera decided to flip-flop his quarterbacks once more this season, this time benching Taylor Heinicke for Carson Wentz.

"Where we are right now, I'm looking for a little bit of a spark, a little something different. And I think now's a good opportunity for it," Rivera told reporters Wednesday explaining his decision to start Wentz in Week 17 game vs. the Cleveland Browns.

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When asked what he sees differently in Wentz now than he did in the first six starts, Rivera said Wentz has a greater comfort in the offense.

“The biggest thing is he’s more comfortable with what we’re doing,” the head coach said. “That was evident in the [49ers] game in spite of the fact that they knew we were gonna throw it. They kept coming. And I thought he handled those situations very, very well. He got the ball out a couple times hot, got it out to where they needed to be thrown. He threw some really nice balls. His decision-making was very quick.

"So, again, I just think that now he’s had a little bit more of an opportunity to see the rest of the offense, feel the rest of the offense, and I think that’s a big part of [his improved play].”

And with two games left, Rivera added they are "looking for something a little extra to get us over the hump" and win out and make the playoffs.

Wentz was able to have a "little bit of a reset" in recovering from surgery on his throwing hand after he sustained a finger injury in the Week 6 win over the Chicago Bears, Rivera said. Heinicke, who was “a little beat up," and "sore" did not throw at practice Wednesday but will serve as the backup if he is healthy enough.

When Wentz entered the game in the fourth quarter against San Francisco, he would throw on nearly every play of his first drive – which ended with a 20-yard TD toss to Curtis Samuel – and finished with 12 of 16 for 123 yards. In addition to his performance Sunday, Rivera said he thought back to the reasons why the team brought Wentz to Washington this offseason in deciding to make the switch.

“I thought about his ability to make certain throws, as well. That’s a big part of why he’s here, obviously, because we believe he can throw it,” Rivera said. “He can throw the ball downfield and make those long, deep throws on the outs, on the [corner] outs. Those things are a big part of what we do as an offense.”

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