Commanders Will 'Rally Around' Carson Wentz vs. Jaguars, Says Ron Rivera

A new quarterback could give Washington the boost they need to get back to winning football.

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Nobody is going to say Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz is in the top tier of passers this NFL season. 

But he shouldn't be placed in the worst either. Not by a long shot. 

Only 19 quarterbacks threw the ball as much as he did in 2021, and among those, he was middle of the pack in touchdown passes and second-fewest in interceptions. 

And his numbers were better across the board compared to what Washington got from the position themselves, while Wentz was helping to keep the Indianapolis Colts' playoff hopes alive all the way to Week 18. 

Neither team's season went as well as they'd hoped, which is why both made a change at the position for this coming year. 

While the Colts may feel they got a better deal in the end with Matt Ryan now quarterbacking their squad, the Commanders don't feel they came up short in adding Wentz to the roster this season.

"I think we have a guy that we can now establish and rally around," coach Ron Rivera told the media on Monday.

That isn't to say the team hasn't had quarterbacks with the ability to pull the team together in the past. 

Alex Smith was a veteran known for his resilience and ability to lead, while Taylor Heinicke inspired an entire hive-like cult following, boosted by defensive end Chase Young's own sideline endorsement. 

Now though, the Commanders are hoping to connect veteran leadership ability with arm talent, hoping Wentz is the right combination of both. 

And it all starts with the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team Wentz saw twice last season and their new head coach Doug Pederson. 

Wentz spent his first five seasons with Pederson, and the two helped the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl following the 2017 season. 

Although, those days feel much deeper into history than they really are. 

Still, Wentz's experience and ability are going to be key to helping Washington get a win against these familiar foes. 

"For us the insights that Carson can give us are or has already given us is huge," Rivera said while also acknowledging neither the Jaguars or the coach are going to be exactly what Wentz has known over the years. "We'll take that to heart, but we'll take it for what it's worth. I mean, it's more about what they've got planned for us than what they've done.”

The team is already rallying around their quarterback while the media and even the fan base are keeping at arm's length from fully embracing him as the answer to what ails the Commanders. 

A win against Jacksonville will help warm the outside crowd a bit, and the tools and insight are certainly put in place to achieve that first goal of the season.

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