Commanders Coach Ron Rivera After Week 1 Win: 'I'm Happy as Hell, But ...'
LANDOVER, Md. -- The Washington Commanders came away with a 20-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals to start the season, and beyond that, there isn't a whole lot of positivity to speak of.
At least not on the offensive side of things, and following the game Commanders coach Ron Rivera was not putting on a happy face to smile through the painful victory.
"Our guys, they've been working hard and practicing hard, they've been getting better and for us to make those kinds of mistakes is disappointing," Rivera said following the win. "I know we are all disappointed, but we're all thrilled. Believe me, I'm happy as hell we won, I really am. But we got to play better. We really do, because again, we've worked hard, we've done things the right way, but details, we've got to be better with those."
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Specifically, his quarterback Sam Howell hit the trifecta of quarterback miscues throwing an interception, losing a fumble on a strip-sack - that the Cardinals immediately returned for a touchdown of their own - and holding onto the ball too long in the pocket leading to multiple sacks that could have been throwaways.
"I just think I could have played cleaner football," Howell said. "Trying to do too much in the pocket, I think I could have thrown the ball away, sometimes I took too many sacks."
These are the observations of a coach and quarterback following a win.
But if you read the press conference transcripts without knowledge of the score you'd think this team just lost.
In effect, they have a little bit. Especially in the realm of fan confidence which was at an all-time high coming into Week 1.
Now, depending on what happens against the Denver Broncos in Week 2, when Washington comes home again it may be to a cooler welcome.
The important thing to take away from these comments, however, is the fact that nobody is resting on getting the win as a tonic to erase the bad.
Instead, they're all staring their shortcomings in the face with a determination to get it corrected before the next outing turns out less fortunate.
And in the locker room after the game, even Commanders defenders who arguably saved the day for their offensive teammates were visibly unhappy with the way the game unfolded.
