LANDOVER, Md. — Flip Saunders, the late NBA head coach, warned fans never to assume a team has hit rock bottom.
“Don’t ever think it can’t get any worse, because it can,” Saunders said 30 games into a dismal Washington Wizards season that finished 26-56. “There’s no question it can.”
The 2023 Washington Commanders continue to prove that point.
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Head coach Ron Rivera and players couldn’t — or weren’t in the mood to — label Sunday’s 31-19, turnover-filled home loss to the New York Giants as bottom of the barrel. In fairness, the list of contenders for that title is larger than the team’s minuscule playoff chances.
“Yeah, this sucks,” exasperated right guard Sam Cosmi said. “This was a winnable game. The fact that we couldn’t … I’m at a loss for words.”
Many fans and observers of this team reached that point weeks before the Commanders committed six turnovers and surrendered three touchdown passes to New York’s inexperienced third-string quarterback, Tommy DeVito.
Got the dub pic.twitter.com/DWYUBITcut
— New York Giants (@Giants) November 19, 2023
First, the 34-point loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 3. Two weeks later, the bar lowered with a 20-point home setback to a Chicago Bears squad that entered on a franchise-record 14-game losing skid. With numerous reserves starting, including their backup quarterback, the injury-riddled Giants eked out a win over the Commanders in a 14-7 rock fight in Week 7. Then came Sunday’s rematch.
Former Washington legends John Riggins and Joe Theismann were among the announced sellout crowd. The franchise’s era of championship-quality football ended soon after the fabled running back and quarterback played. Still, Washington entered as nine-point favorites, due primarily to low expectations for DeVito and the Giants.
New York had been outscored 79-23 in back-to-back losses. Some of the numbers from Sunday’s game — the Commanders sacked DeVito nine times and allowed zero net rushing yards in the first half — highlighted New York’s issues. But Washington’s woes were exposed from the jump.
“Well, it’s a low point, that’s for sure,” Rivera said following Washington’s seventh loss in nine games since a 2-0 start. “Any time you got an opportunity to win a football game, and you put up the numbers that we did, you got a chance — but you got to convert.”
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The specifics of the game matter little at this stage, even if some of the plot points varied from previous outings. Quarterback Sam Howell’s recent surge took a blow with three interceptions, including a 54-yard pick-six by New York’s Isaiah Simmons with 16 seconds remaining. The Giants, ready to face an offense that attempts more passes than any other team, sacked Howell four times.
“Pressure breaks pipes,” Giants edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux said.
After the game, Howell took the heat — which was lacking in the showers inside both locker rooms — while sounding puzzled as to why the Commanders could not find a steady path.
“We have so much potential in this locker room,” said the second-year quarterback, who passed for 255 yards and one touchdown on 45 attempts while showing toughness on a 7-yard TD run. “That’s the disappointing thing. … We’re not getting the results we feel like we’re capable of.”
That’s a sentiment heard across the league weekly. It’s been espoused in these parts for years, including all four of Rivera’s. The running joke after the loss was the showers lacked hot water because Rivera was drenched in so much. Washington is 26-34-1 since his hiring as coach and front-office lead in 2020.
New York led 14-9 at halftime despite constant pass rush pressure and no ground-game success. DeVito fed open targets repeatedly, including a 40-yard touchdown pass to Darius Slayton in the second quarter. He finished 18 of 26 for 246 yards one week after getting just 86 passing yards in a 49-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Saquon Barkley caught the other two touchdown tosses. With his 24-yard grab for the opening score, he became the latest running back to beat linebacker Jamin Davis on a wheel route.
The Commanders gave New York early momentum with turnovers on back-to-back possessions: Howell’s first interception and the first of three fumbles. Byron Pringle committed the second fumble on the opening kickoff in the second half.
Nick McCloud's first career INT!
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/ATk4ogctR3
— New York Giants (@Giants) November 19, 2023
The team preaches complementary football but rarely combines quality work from all three phases in the same game.
“Sloppy football, way too many turnovers,” Cosmi said. “I’m just tired of not being consistent overall. One week, it’s the defense; one week, it’s the offense. … Can we just put a game together?”
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First-round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, who briefly exited with an elbow injury, couldn’t explain the ups and downs. Two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen cited Washington’s inability to “learn how to win” average or ugly games.
As for Rivera, he acknowledged that changes could occur before the Thanksgiving Day game against the Cowboys. “Yes, there are things that we have to look at,” the coach said.
The short week would complicate any overhaul, and Rivera wouldn’t get into specifics. When asked if there was any disappointment with his team losing another game to an underdog this deep into his Washington tenure, Rivera declined to answer.
“You know, no matter what my answer is, it’s going to come out, and people are going to say it’s an excuse,” he said. “So we’re just going to take the responsibility. We’re going to show up (at the team facility) tomorrow. We’re going to get prepared, and we’ll get ready to play Dallas.”
There’s no need to question the team’s effort. Howell took significant physical punishment and kept going. Teammates rallied to their quarterback’s defense after Howell took an apparent late hit on his touchdown scamper. Wide receiver Curtis Samuel and Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott were ejected following the scuffle.
TOUGH AS NAILS
📺 #NYGvsWAS: FOX pic.twitter.com/a9PR8hfvUb
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) November 19, 2023
The offense had 403 total yards. Positive contributions from linebacker David Mayo (two sacks) and other defenders showed resolve. Effort is the minimum requirement. At some point, winning matters, too.
Riggins won often in his era. He and his wife, Lisa Marie, attended the game to promote the USO’s services and, along with Commanders owner Josh Harris, to honor numerous soldiers who were present. The Hall of Fame running back initially brushed aside questions about the current team or his playing days, other than to mention the importance of hearing the national anthem before each game.
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“I always think of those (soldiers) when the national anthem is played. To me, it’s what today is all about. It’s not a football day for me,” Riggins said before the game.
Riggins then relented, pivoting to a pertinent sentiment about the organization he led to its first Super Bowl victory.
“Besides, if you can’t beat the Giants, I mean, what do you got?” he asked rhetorically.
Others will ask the same this week as they eye the organization’s future. Remember this: Six games remain. Tread lightly with any talk of rock bottom.
(Photo of Sam Howell: Brad Mills / USA Today)
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