Commanders Need to Rebuild
The Washington Commanders need to rebuild. The Ron Rivera era is all but over after another blowout loss to a team that “reset” at the exact same time Washington did four years ago. Except the Dolphins are on their second head coach since Rivera was hired and are currently the best statistical offense in the NFL, basically the exact opposite of the hapless Commanders. Two teams going in completely opposite directions that reset at the same time is all ownership needs to see to know its time to blow it all up. The game wasn’t really worth talking about. The Dolphins exploited mismatches in a bad defensive scheme to take a first quarter 17-0 lead, that ballooned to 31-7 at halftime. Tyreek Hill, arguably the best offensive weapon in football, was left wide open for not just a 78 yard touchdown, but also a 60 yard touchdown. What possible explanation could Ron Rivera have for leaving the most explosive wide receiver in one on one coverage with no help over the top? I’m sure its something along the lines of “we didn’t have a quarterback for my first three years here” or “at least the culture is better than what it was when I got here.” Its embarrassing that this guy keeps peddling the same troupes over and over again when on the field the team has regressing in all phases of the game.
That’s why the Commanders need to rebuild. A month ago, the season was on the brink and the fanbase just wanted to see the team be competitive. Sam Howell was playing well and they lost heartbreaking games to the Eagles and Seahawks. Fast forward to now and the team has been outscored 121-44 in the last three games, 90-25 in the last two! Back to back weeks giving up 45 points is usually the reason to fire someone, yet I think the new ownership group will let Rivera play out the season only because the more they lose the better the job looks to a new regime. Better draft picks are never a bad thing for a new general manager. After the game team captain and essentially the face of the franchise Jon Allen basically said he wanted to leave, and all but assured DC fans that was his plans in follow up radio interviews this morning. Terry McLaurin was held to zero catches on three targets, and Sam Howell has started to show signs of shell shock adding another three sacks to his gargantuan season total. The teams best players are starting to show signs of exhaustion and frustration after every drive and in the locker room after every game. Wouldn’t you?
Trading Jon Allen and even Terry McLaurin will likely be options for a new GM and honestly, I cant blame the team or the players for wanting a change of scenery. For the players, its easy to understand why these guys at 29 years old want to actually win games and compete for championships. Expecting locker room guys to toe the line week after week, season after season, without winning is a recipe for disaster and the train is almost completely off the tracks. As for the team, these players are still in their prime and can fetch high round draft picks which is what this team needs more than anything. It would be tough to say goodbye, but this team is 4-9 and as much as I love both guys. neither has been a superstar in the burgundy and gold.
The Commanders currently sit at the #4 pick in the upcoming NFL draft and can probably move up to #3 if they lose out and the cardinals continue to play to their current potential. With the first two picks almost guaranteed to be QBs the Commanders could very easily be in a position to draft a player that will make an immediate impact as a starter day one. Its what the team needs. Young talented players at almost every single position on both sides of the ball. I would still give Howell a chance to be the franchise QB and the early round picks can be spent building around him. If he doesn’t end up being the guy, at the very least you will have positioned the team to be win now with a new QB in the future. The goal for the rest of the season should be to lose every single game, its time to start looking at 2024.
