Ron Rivera insists he's not panicking over 1-4 start
The Washington Commanders fell to 1-4 after Sunday’s disappointing 21-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Unlike in the previous two losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, the Commanders had a chance to win the game late, yet multiple mistakes once again led to another loss.
It’s Washington’s fourth consecutive loss, and now head coach Ron Rivera must get his team ready for a short week as the Commanders travel to face the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football.
After the game, Rivera met with the media and was asked if it was panic time for him and his team now.
“For you, maybe,” Rivera began, "but not for me because there’s plenty of football left. We’re going to work our butts off to get better. That’s all we can do. That’s the truth of the matter. If you work and continue to work, and continue to work, eventually it’s going to change, and that’s what we’re trying to do, we’re trying to change it.”
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Rivera wasn’t done, issuing a similar answer to some of his previous statements.
“This is not going to happen overnight, it’s never going to happen overnight," he said. "When’s it going to happen? I don’t know. But I will say I don’t disagree with some of the thought processes. There is a sense of urgency, and I hope everybody in that locker room has the same sense that I have.”
At this point, this isn’t what Washington fans want to hear. In Rivera’s defense, he can’t come out and tell everyone he’s scared to death and doesn’t believe this team can turn things around. What kind of message would that send?
The sense of urgency should be real. The New York Giants went to London and upset the Green Bay Packers to improve to 4-1 in head coach Brian Daboll’s first year. It’s not like Daboll, and new general manager Joe Schoen inherited a powerhouse. The Giants have been a mess for years — like Washington. Yet, good coaching and effort have New York playing terrific football five games into the new regime.
The only way to fix things for Washington is to win. That’s easier said than done for this franchise as the names may change, but the results remain the same.