The Washington Commanders might be eradicated Sunday night if the Green Bay Packers beat the Minnesota Vikings, however that was apparently information to Commanders head coach Ron Rivera.

Following Washington’s 24-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns, Rivera took questions from the media. When one reporter requested him a query about his quarterback technique subsequent week if the Commanders are eradicated on Sunday, Rivera paused for a number of seconds earlier than asking this query:

“We can be eliminated?”

He appeared genuinely shocked to listen to that the Commanders might be eradicated in just some hours.

Rivera later tried to make clear his feedback with ESPN’s Washington reporter John Keim, although it did not do a lot good. He mentioned he was solely targeted on what would occur if Washington received, and that he did not contemplate the choice.

This is the state of affairs that will get the Commanders eradicated from the playoffs coming into Week 17: Commanders lose to the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions defeat Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers defeat Minnesota Vikings. By the time Rivera spoke to the media, the Commanders had misplaced to the Browns and the Lions had crushed the Bears. All that was left was the Packers and Vikings, which was due to start at 4:05pm ET.

It’s comprehensible for a head coach to have a mind fart and clean on the title of a group or a participant. It occurs to everybody, even essentially the most high-functioning people. But what occurred with Rivera right here is not that. He did not neglect one a part of the elimination state of affairs, or the title of one of many groups concerned. He appeared to have completely no thought the Commanders might be eradicated on Sunday.

The job of a head coach is to organize their group for any and all situations, each on and off the sector. If Rivera had identified the Commanders might be eradicated, would which have affected his choice to begin quarterback Carson Wentz, who threw three interceptions and zero touchdowns towards the Browns on Sunday? Would he have thought of beginning Taylor Heinicke, or perhaps benched Wentz for Heinicke throughout the recreation?

Unfortunately, it would not matter what he would have achieved. The recreation is already completed and within the books, and the Commanders’ destiny is out of their fingers.