Commanders' Final 2 Games Are 'Measuring Stick' For Players, Says Ron Rivera
The Washington Commanders face a big final two weeks of the season. Currently sitting at 7-7-1, Washington needs to win its final two games against the Cleveland Browns (6-9) and the Dallas Cowboys (12-4) to punch its ticket to the postseason.
With pressure mounting after every game, Commanders head coach Ron Rivera is looking forward to seeing how his team takes on the added responsibility and is using it to evaluate players for next season.
"Huge," Rivera said on the implications for players over the next fortnight. "I mean, it's an opportunity for us to continue to evaluate. These are pressure situations, and this is where we're gonna find out.
"Are are we gonna rise up? Are we gonna have some issues? Are we all gonna be able to sit here and say, ‘Hey man, this is what we did. This is how we did it the right way.’ Or are we gonna sit there and look and say, ‘okay, a little concerned maybe the immaturity got him.’ That's under pressure. So, this is a hell of a measuring stick for us. It really is.”
That measuring stick will also be pointed squarely at recently instilled starting quarterback Carson Wentz. After benching Taylor Heinicke in the fourth quarter of the 37-20 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the pressure will be on Wentz from the outset.
But Rivera pointed out that it isn't just Wentz under pressure to perform, but the team as a whole.
"Not just him [Wentz] in particular," Rivera said.
"But I think everybody on this roster that plays on Sunday. We're all gonna be looked at that way. This is a playoff atmosphere and we've put ourselves in this position, so we've gotta handle it."
The verdict is simple for Washington. Win out, and you're in. Lose, and the team will need outside help to make it to the playoffs.
The pressure is on with a quarterback change and every player on the roster under a microscope.
Who will wilt under it, and who will thrive? That question will be answered on Sunday.
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