Commanders Coach Ron Rivera Reveals What Cost Washington in Loss vs. Vikings

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera was left lamenting his team's mistakes as they let a 10-point lead slip in the fourth quarter on Sunday in their 20-17 loss against the Vikings.

The Washington Commanders nearly pulled off what would have been a season-defining win had it not been for mistakes.

Head coach Ron Rivera was not happy with his team’s mental errors on Sunday at FedEx Field against the Vikings that ultimately cost them the game.

“Yeah. It was,” a visibly annoyed Rivera said post-game on if mistakes were a reason for the loss. “We had some opportunities, we didn’t take advantage of the opportunities. Enough mistakes to go around for everybody.”

Heading into the game, the Commanders were not given much of a shot at beating the 6-1 Vikings. But Rivera always had belief in what his team could do.

Three consecutive wins don’t just happen by chance.

For Rivera, it is the little things that are keeping his team from taking that next step.

“Again, the expectations for us were low,” Rivera said. “So going into this, everything was gravy as far as everybody else was concerned. I really believed we had a chance to win this football game based on the things we were doing. We had a chance to do it, we could have done, we missed some opportunities. That’s the truth of the matter.

“Early in the first quarter, we had two third downs we should have gotten off the field. Those are the little things that keep us from taking that next step.”

It is not all doom and gloom in Washington. The game showed what Rivera wanted to see. If his team could match it with the best.

They could.

Unfortunately, too many errors cost them a chance at notching a crucial win.

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