There is a small club that can empathize with the stretch of football that Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera is about to go through.
Mike Shanahan got defiant in the final days of a 3-13 season. Jay Gruden knew the lights would be turned out on the way to 3-13, and Jim Zorn was publicly embarrassed multiple times on the road to 4-12.
Last seasons in Ashburn rarely go well. Gruden himself reemerged Sunday to pour salt on the wound, writing on social media: “4-5 years now. Figured culture would (have) been the difference,” a reference to Rivera’s introductory press conference.
Unlike the other three, though, Rivera seems particularly set on fighting to the finish.
On Monday, in the aftermath of a 45-15 loss to the Dolphins, a third-straight embarrassment, he doubled down that his players would return ready to compete and win after the team’s bye week. Four games remain, against the Rams, Jets, 49ers and Cowboys.
“We’re coming up to a four-game stretch, four weeks left after this bye, and that’s where you need to see it, you really do,” Rivera said. “I mean, you can only say so much about development and growth. You can only say so much about the process. There’s a certain point in time when you get to each year, and say, ‘Now’s the time. Let’s go.’ I mean, the process is now and the time is now. So let’s see what we can do.”
The Commanders sit at 4-9, and would pick at No. 4 in the NFL draft at the moment. That’s been a stunning realization for a team that entered the season with playoff aspirations.
Running back Antonio Gibson said, that on paper, this is the most talented group he’s played with during his four years in Washington. He acknowledged, though, that they can’t keep saying that they’re growing and developing.
“To me, I’ll say it sounds like words now,” Gibson said Sunday. “We’re not going to keep saying that in the back end of the season. It’s too late for growth right now. I feel like we can finish off the season strong and head into next year with growth, but it’s too late for that right now.”
Offensive growth and development will be a key thing to watch in the season’s final weeks.
A new regime will have to make decisions on offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and quarterback Sam Howell, and they’ll want to put their best foot forward in the final weeks.
Part of the challenge has been finding a way to get the ball to top receiver Terry McLaurin, who was held without a catch for only the second time in his career against the Dolphins, while he watched fellow star Tyreek Hill haul in two big touchdowns on the other side.
McLaurin was asked if he was bothered by the lack of attention.
“Nah, I ran a lot of cardio,” he said wryly. “It happens. It comes with it when it’s tough. Yeah, it’s frustrating, but I’m going to keep coming in and practicing and playing hard. As long as I turn on the film, make extra blocks on the field, try to clear it out for guys, I’ll continue to run my routes hard, so that’s what I’m going to do. I’m not going to quit just because I’m frustrated.”
Howell acknowledged the importance of getting McLaurin involved.
“It’s definitely not what we wanted to do coming into the game,” he said. “(McLaurin) is the best part of our offense and we’ve got to find ways to get him the football. I’ve got to find ways to get him the football. Obviously, he had a few targets, but three targets are not enough for your best player. So, we’ve just got to find more ways to get him involved.”
The run game also may reach a crossroads, as Brian Robinson Jr. left Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury and did not return. His status for after the bye is unknown and won’t be released until after the team returns to practice next week.
Gibson has provided solid production this year as well, and noted that the team continues to work hard each week, even as the playoffs have slipped away.
“We still put in the work,” he said. “It’s not like people come out to practice messing around. We’re just not getting the outcome that we want. We still go out to work, and I feel like we did a lot and it was a big change than from the year before. We’re just not getting the outcome we want.”
The big change was a reference to practice styles under Bieniemy, who ran a significantly harder training camp than his predecessor, Scott Turner.
However, those styles went down smoother in Kansas City, where they were accompanied by annual trips to the AFC title game.
In Washington, the work hasn’t yielded results. In the past, that’s meant a final month of chaos leading into a coaching change. Rivera remains committed to finishing strong, but needs a win to accomplish that.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.