The Washington Football Team won the NFC East and is heading towards the playoffs, but not without controversy that had nothing to do with the franchise. In Washington’s 20-14 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night, the Eagles removed starting quarterback Jalen Hurts in the fourth quarter of a three-point game for Nate Sudfeld – who has not launched a pass since 2018.
Basically, Washington hosted the game for Philadelphia – with the New York Giants needing Washington to lose to the Eagles to beat NFC East (with a 6-10 record). The Eagles, who had already left eight holders in the depth table, had nothing to gain from winning at the end of the season.
Whether the Eagles violated the integrity of the game is a matter of debate. Washington coach Ron Rivera can’t see any wrongdoing from Pederson and the Eagles – and he’s also not apologizing for winning the game.
“Well, honestly and honestly, honestly it doesn’t matter. You play with whoever’s there. I’m not going to apologize for winning,” Rivera told reporters on Monday. “Apparently, what everyone wants me to do is apologize for winning. I won’t. You play the game as it’s set up. No one complained when Pittsburgh did what it did last night against Cleveland. That’s how things are. “
Rivera mentioning the Steelers will generate some controversy, considering that Pittsburgh started Mason Rudolph at the end of Week 17, where runner-up was still at stake – although the Steelers had played the wild card weekend with a win anyway – and the Cleveland The Browns needed a win to secure a playoff spot. Cleveland overtook Pittsburgh and secured the spot, but the Steelers’ action was at the expense of the Dolphins. Miami needed a victory against Buffalo or a defeat by Cleveland, Indianapolis or Baltimore to get a playoff spot. The Dolphins lost to Bills and none of the other teams lost. Miami lost the playoffs 10-6.
If Ben Roethlisberger plays, does Pittsburgh beat Cleveland? This matters?
Rivera will defend Pederson – who was an Eagles defender in 1999 when Rivera was the coach of the linebackers – and will certainly not tell another team how to manage the franchise. If the eagles won, they would have chosen 9th position in the draft. Instead, they will pick sixth, while Washington won the NFC East title, becoming only the third team since the 2002 realignment to reach the playoffs with a losing record.
“We entered the playoffs. We are 7-9. I was 7-8-1 in the playoffs. I was on an 8-8 team that was in the playoffs. You do not apologize for entering the playoffs. You apologize for losing us. playoffs, at least I believe so, “said Rivera. “But you are not sorry for entering.
“It has been a difficult role for us. Nobody seems to care about that. Nobody seemed to care two weeks ago, when we didn’t have some of our best players. Nobody cared last week when we didn’t have them. So why should we care worry if a coach decides to do something he believes is best for his team?
“This is what I think people need to understand. This is just the way the game is played and the way a lot of things happen. A lot of people are happy about it, and a lot of people are not happy about it. Just difficult. That’s the way it is. So many things that have happened in this world that are difficult and are difficult. This is just the game that we are playing and we will play it as it comes to us. I will not apologize. I will not. things are. “