Ron Rivera was able to understand the disastrous NFC East this season, leading the Washington Football Team to the first division title since 2015. But the team could have done better if their situation as a defender had been different, at least that’s what the head coach believes looking back.
Rivera, whose team lost to Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild card round, was open about his mistakes last season in an interview with WJFK on Monday, and pointed to the start of his problems on the training ground.
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“Yes, I would. I would,” he said of giving other defenders a chance. “The biggest thing I would have done would have been to create a few more opportunities, mixing everyone around. Instead of saying, OK, I’m going to stay with just one guy and do that. I think now, in retrospect, and again, in retrospect in 2020 , I would do. ”
Washington has gone through four defenders this season.
The season started with sophomore quarterback Dwayne Haskins as a starter before Rivera replaced him with Kyle Allen, who he previously coached at the Carolina Panthers.
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After Allen suffered a leg injury at the end of the season, Alex Smith was promoted to a full-time quarterback until Washington’s wild card game against the Bucs, when fourth-grade quarterback Taylor Heinicke was named in place of injured Smith.
“What I’m saying is that I made a mistake and I’m confessing that, and that’s the truth,” Rivera continued on Monday. “To be so simple, that’s what I’m saying. I’m just being honest.”
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It is unclear what direction Rivera will take next season when it comes to defenders.
Heinicke defended his position during his performance over the weekend, to which Rivera said he “won an opportunity”