Washington suffered its worst defeat of the season and possibly of the Ron Rivera era on Sunday, dropping to 4-7 on the year with a 31-19 loss to New York.
The Giants came into FedEx Field with a 2-8 record and with a third-stringer that lives with his parents as their starting quarterback, and still gained 246 yards passing to go with three touchdowns. That quarterback’s name is Tommy DeVito, and last week in a loss to the Cowboys he accounted for just 86 yards passing.
Washington’s defense did generate a strong pass rush, but when the blitz wasn’t on, DeVito picked apart the Commanders secondary.
This is not the type of the loss that suggests major changes need to be discussed.
This is the type of loss that demands major changes be made.
Ron Rivera’s group turned the ball over throughout the afternoon, finishing with three fumbles in different fashions including on a kick return and three interceptions from young QB Sam Howell. He played well in spurts but did not have his most accurate day as a passer.
Howell did prove his toughness on a touchdown run just before halftime, where he pinballed off a series of defenders before blasting into the end zone. For the day Howell finished 31 of 45 for 255 yards with a touchdown and the three picks, in what proved a disappointing afternoon.
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Washington has another game in four days, playing the Cowboys in Dallas on Thanksgiving. It’s possible that the tight time window will prevent Commanders ownership from having some tough discussions about the future of Rivera and the staff he’s assembled.
But those conversations need to be had, whether it’s Thursday night while munching leftover turkey, or sooner.
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The Commanders not only lost to a bad Giants team engulfed in turmoil, the Giants blew them out. Washington generated nine sacks, nearly tying a franchise record, and still spent much of the fourth quarter down two scores.
Was there a bit of a comeback attempt late in the fourth quarter? Sure. Want to read a glowing piece on the positives to take from this game? Look elsewhere.
There’s an old saying in the NFL: “You can’t lose at home to a third-string QB and keep your job.”
Actually that’s not an old saying, but maybe it should be.
