Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera is being questioned after essentially conceding Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. With Washington trailing 27-15 with two minutes remaining in the game, Rivera elected not to use his timeouts to give his team any chance at a comeback.
Following the 30-15 loss, Rivera explained he didn’t want to expose his players to injury.
āI donāt want to expose my players to injury,ā Rivera said per Sam Fortier of the Washington Post. āItās a long season. Weāve got 14 games left to play. We got an opportunity to learn and grow, and thatās probably, to me, a little bit more important right now than exposing our guys to getting injured in a situation like that.ā
After stopping Kenyan Drake on a second down run, the clock continued to run. Arizona was allowed to drain the clock to 1:15 before their next snap. Even after quarterback Kyler Murray was stopped for a one-yard run to force a fourth down, Rivera watched the clock tick.
The Cardinals kicked a 28-yard field goal to extend their lead to 30-15. That put a wrap on the game with 26 seconds remaining.
Surely, there are some who will criticize Rivera’s decision. Whether right or wrong, it’s hard not to consider the numerous amount of injuries to key players around the league in Week 2. Washington already had lost its best offensive lineman, right guard Brandon Scherff, to a knee injury in the second quarter of the game. Was the risk greater than the reward by using his timeouts?
Not calling a timeout was one of two debatable decisions by Rivera. He also elected to kick a field goal in a 4th-and-goal situation with Washington trailing 20-0 late in the third quarter. Rivera explained he wanted points and didn’t want to see his team shut out.
When asked about Rivera’s decisions, Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins said “It’s out of my control,” but he trusts the coach.
Ron Rivera is in the first year as Washington’s head coach. He is looking to rebuild a culture and team that finished last season 3-13. Sunday’s loss proved there will be some growing pains for Washington. That includes the coaching staff’s trust and feel for the team in crucial game situations.
