Ron Rivera Reveals Message to Washington Commanders About Beating Philadelphia Eagles

A win on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles can be the turning point in the Washington Commanders' season, and head coach Ron Rivera knows it.

In Week 4, the Washington Commanders gave the Philadelphia Eagles all they could handle. Quarterback Sam Howell had arguably the best game of his career, leading a game-tying drive that culminated on the final play of regulation. Washington would fall, 34-31, but it was the football world’s first notice that Philadelphia was beatable.

In the three weeks since, the Commanders have failed to reach that level of play, or really even come close. They were blown out by a bad Chicago Bears team, beat the Atlanta Falcons at the hands of a Desmond Ridder disappearance act, and fell short against a lifeless New York Giants team.

To some extent, head coach Ron Rivera deserves a good portion of the blame. “Riverboat Ron'' has made antithetical, conservative decisions that continue to backfire, like setting for field goals with seven-point deficits. The rumors of Rivera being a lame-duck coach are swirling, and for good reason.

Washington receiver Jahan Dotson tied the game on the final offensive snap of regulation against Philadelphia / Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

However, giving Philadelphia another real test could boost morale. Beating them in Week 8 can save Washington’s season.

Rivera spoke about the importance of this upcoming matchup and staying present as the anticipation builds.

“Without a doubt,” Rivera said. “This is all about what can happen on Sunday than it is about what can happen in any other time. We can't do anything about the past. We’ve got to focus on what's coming right now and not what's coming next week.”

As encouraging as the Week 4 loss was, it won’t put points on the scoreboard on Sunday. Avoiding sacks against a ferocious Philadelphia pass rush will be critical, as will finding explosives against a newly-reinforced secondary.

At 3-4, beating a one-loss rival is a tough task, but it’s necessary to turn this ship around. Washington at 4-4 would be squarely in the NFC Wild Card race and, at worst, tied in the win column for the conference’s seventh seed. A 3-5 record through the first half of the season is significantly more difficult to overcome.

Even so, getting ahead of oneself does not do much good. Spending too much time looking ahead could lead to stumbling over one’s own feet. Against perhaps the most talented team in the conference, the Commanders’ margins will be slimmer than ever.

This week is an opportunity for us to get on track,” Rivera said. “We’ve got to get ourselves prepared and ready to play a very good Philadelphia team.”

Washington’s hopes likely lie on Howell’s unsteady performance, but a defense with as much high-level talent as this one retains the potential to take over a game.

Somebody is going to have to step up if realistic playoff aspirations are going to persist past Sunday.