Regardless of Washington Commanders’ 1-4 begin, Ron Rivera has ‘no regrets’ with including Carson Wentz

ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera stated he had no regrets about buying and selling for quarterback Carson Wentz, including that now they should maintain constructing round him.

Rivera stated the distinction between his 1-4 Commanders and the remainder of the NFC East groups, who’re all 4-1 or higher, got here all the way down to quarterback.

“The reality is that it is a quarterback pushed league,” Rivera stated. “And should you have a look at the groups which have been in a position to maintain success, they have been in a position to construct it round a selected quarterback.”

Washington traded two draft picks within the offseason to accumulate Wentz, giving up a second-round choose this previous draft and a conditional choose in 2023 that might change into a second based mostly on play time.

In the meantime, Philadelphia (Jalen Hurts), New York (Daniel Jones) and Dallas (Dak Prescott) all entered the season with the identical beginning quarterback as 2021. Washington has began six quarterbacks in Rivera’s two-plus seasons. The Commanders are 15-21 below Rivera.

Rivera stated his level was that the opposite groups within the division all have constructed round their quarterbacks. Dallas, although, has received 4 in a row with Cooper Rush beginning for the injured Prescott. Rivera stated Rush, who has been with Dallas since 2020, performs properly inside what the Cowboys need to run offensively.

The Giants, who went a mixed 10-23 the previous two years, have a brand new coach in Brian Daboll and declined to select up Jones’ fifth-year choice. In addition they have been broadly thought of the worst crew within the division getting into the season — and rallied to beat Inexperienced Bay Sunday regardless of lacking its prime receivers.

The Eagles have gone from 6-10 in 2020 to 9-8 final season and 5-0 this yr. Hurts has been the full-time starter the previous two seasons.

Wentz hasn’t been the first cause Washington has struggled. He threw 4 landing passes in a season-opening win vs. Jacksonville and threw three within the second half the next week in a comeback that fell brief in Detroit.

Wentz is tied for fifth within the NFL with 10 landing passes, however tied for third with six interceptions. He ranks twenty fourth in whole QBR at 38.0 — two spots forward of Denver’s Russell Wilson and three in entrance of Indianapolis’ Matt Ryan, two different veterans who modified groups this offseason.

“I’ve bought no regrets about our quarterback,” Rivera stated. “I believe our quarterback has carried out some good issues. There’s been a pair video games that he is struggled, however the best way he carried out [Sunday] it simply reveals you what he is able to. We selected him as a result of we imagine in him. We selected him as a result of we checked out what we felt have been issues that pointed towards him.”

Wentz threw for 359 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday’s 21-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Wentz threw an interception on third-and-goal from the 2-yard line with six seconds remaining.

“We have a man that we predict now we have an opportunity to construct round,” Rivera stated. “We’ve got a man that’s actually rising in what we’re doing. I believed yesterday was a superb indicator of his potential for us on this, and we’ll proceed to work with it.”

Washington’s offensive line has been banged up. The Commanders have began three facilities and was lacking 60 % of their authentic starters Sunday. They didn’t adequately change departed guards Ereck Flowers (reduce) and Brandon Scherff (free agent).

However the Commanders do have a strong receiving corps with Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson.

“We’ve got some fairly good items in place,” Rivera stated. “I would prefer to have all of them on the sphere on the identical time. We do not, we won’t, so that is the lot now we have, so now we have to exit and play.”