Commanders Coach Ron Rivera 'Not Concerned' About Run Defense vs. Lions

The Commanders have a tally in the loss column after falling to the Detroit Lions. But head coach Ron Rivera isn't particularly phased by Sunday's effort.

The Washington Commanders (1-1) are picking up the pieces after their 36-27 loss to the Detroit Lions (1-1) on Sunday.

The team trailed 22-0 after coming out flat in the first half, but the Commanders found a way to claw back into the game during the third quarter. It was a one-score game in the middle of the fourth quarter, but the Lions were too much for the Commanders to handle.

Despite the poor effort in the first half, head coach Ron Rivera isn't concerned about the team's run defense after the loss.

"I'm not concerned," Rivera said. "We were not at full strength, but having said that, they still ran it against us. You've got to give them credit. That's a real gritty football team... They had a lot of energy early on. They fed off the energy around the crowd."

With the Commanders sitting at 1-1, the team is average ... just like most of the teams in the NFL. While one loss shouldn't make or break the Commanders' season, there does trigger some curiosity about Rivera's nonchalant answer to the question. It is a long season, but today's loss should raise some concerns. The Commanders looked like a pee wee football team in the first half. Once the NFL guys showed up in the second half, it was too late.

The Commanders were one of several teams Sunday to find themselves into a hole too deep to dig out of, and the team's first half should spark some concern.

Maybe Rivera is satisfied enough with the team's second half performance to not feel like it's a continuous pattern. Or maybe Rivera has a really good poker face and doesn't want to let his opponents know he's sweating.

Regardless of the reasoning, Rivera's lack of concern is concerning.

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