{"id":23507,"date":"2022-07-23T18:35:47","date_gmt":"2022-07-23T18:35:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/commanders-ron-rivera-is-confident-heading-into-2022-nfl-season\/"},"modified":"2022-07-23T18:35:47","modified_gmt":"2022-07-23T18:35:47","slug":"commanders-ron-rivera-is-confident-heading-into-2022-nfl-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/commanders-ron-rivera-is-confident-heading-into-2022-nfl-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Commanders&#8217; Ron Rivera is confident heading into 2022 NFL season"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div class=\"wpds-c-grBDNq hide-for-print mb-sm undefined\">\n<div class=\"PJLV PJLV-iAjpuP-css flex items-center pr-sm\" data-qa=\"article-actions\">\n<div class=\"wpds-c-fLphcs\"><button class=\"wpds-c-gNHrZC wpds-c-gNHrZC-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-gNHrZC-biynoz-density-compact wpds-c-gNHrZC-hZSyid-isOutline-true wpds-c-gNHrZC-ejCoEP-icon-left wpds-c-gNHrZC-futxca-cv wpds-c-gNHrZC-ihhnWqF-css\"><button class=\"PJLV PJLV-igcOMTV-css\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"currentColor\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" role=\"img\" class=\"wpds-c-coakfw wpds-c-efqEZa focus-highlight flex items-center justify-center brad-lg pointer transition-400 ease-in-out transition-colors\" aria-label=\"Comment on this story\" iconstyle=\"[object Object]\"><title>Comment on this story<\/title><path d=\"M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p>Comment<\/p>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"teaser-content grid-center\">\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Ron Rivera has confidence \u2014 confidence in a process and in a roster he thinks could content.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">It was only a year ago, when Washington opened training camp in Richmond, that the coach expressed a mix of hope and concern for the start of the new season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Sure, his 2020 team had the early success of a playoff appearance and a top-tier defense.  It had a rookie of the year in Chase Young, the comeback player of the year in Alex Smith and a boldness from beating the odds.  But last year, Rivera questioned whether his team had the maturity to build on its success, to work even harder, to understand it could n&#8217;t just pick up where it left off.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Rivera&#8217;s concern lingered throughout the season, almost as if he had known in advance his team would face a stretch of poor health (more than two dozen players and eight coaches landed in the NFL&#8217;s coronavirus protocols) and personal tragedy that would decimate any goodwill built from a spate of wins.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">So far in 2022, much remains the same \u2014 on paper.  The Commanders turned to another veteran quarterback, found more help at wide receiver and running back, fortified the offensive line and added young pieces at tight end and in the secondary.  But they face questions at linebacker, questions about defensive line depth and of course the unceasing question of whether it will all work this time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Rivera&#8217;s confidence comes from the team&#8217;s trials late in the 2021 season and the belief that his players can take \u201cbig steps\u201d in his third year as their coach.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cThe maturity level, more so than anything else, [shows] that these guys are ready to accept the responsibility of it all,\u201d Rivera said during a phone interview from California this month.  \u201c&#8230; Last year going into this whole thing, my big concern was maturity.  And having gone through what we went through \u2026 I just kind of feel like this group of guys is ready to take a step.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p><span class=\"font--article-body font-copy hide-for-print ma-0 pb-md db italic interstitial\">Colts&#8217; Frank Reich believes Carson Wentz can be a top-10 QB for Commanders<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Rivera claims to not feel any extra pressure going into Year 3.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cNot after the first year,\u201d he said.  \u201cAnd then not after what we went through last year.  You think about what we went through for two seasons, and you say: &#8216;You know what?  Whatever happens, happens.&#8217;  But as long as we work hard, play hard and give our best effort, we&#8217;ll see what happens.  And we&#8217;ll let the chips fall where they may.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Last year, the then-Washington Football Team lost starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick after just 16 snaps because of a hip injury and turned to Taylor Heinicke the rest of the way, save for the one game it started Garrett Gilbert because Heinicke contracted covid-19.  Washington lost six of its first eight games, bounced back for a critical four-game stretch, then lost both star defensive ends, Montez Sweat and Young, to injuries.  It also lost most of its defense to coronavirus issues;  shared the pain of safety Deshasor Everett, who was the driver in a crash that killed his longtime girlfriend;  and shared more pain when Sweat&#8217;s brother was killed.  Washington struggled to cope with it all, as evidenced by the in-game fight between its two star defensive tackles in a blowout at Dallas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">But Rivera, though still irked by a belief that his players weren&#8217;t given enough credit for overcoming unusual circumstances, also believes those circumstances brought his team closer \u2014 and may have set a tone for this season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cWe had a bunch of guys go through some real-life s&#8212;, and that was hard,\u201d he said.  \u201cIt was rough on a lot of guys, and for us, we&#8217;re still trying to change and develop who we are and find our guys, and we&#8217;ll keep going through this process.  &#8230;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cBecause we&#8217;re a young team, and we&#8217;ve had to play a lot of young guys, and we&#8217;ve had to go through a lot &#8230; and we&#8217;re still standing \u2014 that gives me confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">The confidence comes, in part, from the skill position players the Commanders have added.  It also comes from the potential of their defense and from the veterans they brought in on the offensive line.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">In the past, Rivera has cited his third season with the Carolina Panthers in 2013 as reason for optimism with the Commanders.  After two losing seasons in Charlotte, Rivera&#8217;s Panthers finished 12-4 in 2013 to win their division and finished second in the league in points allowed and yards allowed.  Drafting an all-pro quarterback, Cam Newton, was the biggest puzzle piece, but rounding out the line for protection and surrounding him with playmakers were priorities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Those followed priorities Rivera to Washington.  This offseason, after trading for quarterback Carson Wentz \u2014 and taking on his $22 million fully guaranteed salary \u2014 the Commanders signed veterans Andrew Norwell and Trai Turner to replace Brandon Scherff and Ereck Flowers.  They drafted wide receiver Jahan Dotson in the first round, added a powerful running back in Brian Robinson Jr.  in the third and found Cole Turner, a 6-foot-5 tight end with a large catch radius, in the fifth.  Then they welcomed receiver Curtis Samuel back from groin and hamstring injuries and re-signed star wideout Terry McLaurin, and they hope to have tight end Logan Thomas and Young back from knee injuries soon.  (Thomas, Young and center Chase Roullier are likely to begin camp on the physically unable to perform list as they continue to recover, but Samuel is expected to be good to go.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cIf we can stay healthy with our offensive line, get Logan back soon and some of those young guys at tight end to develop, if Terry continues to be the player that he is and we get a healthy Curtis, Dyami [Brown] grows a little bit, Glass [Sims] contributes the way we believe he can and Jahan is the player we believe he can be, we feel like we&#8217;ve got a good skill set there,\u201d Rivera said.  \u201cThe running backs continue to grow and learn, and I like the tandem of guys we have there.  Then if Carson can go out and just make good decisions and let his athleticism play for him, I think we can be somebody to content with.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Rivera added that scheme and ensuring the Commanders are getting the best out of their talent are among the most important factors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cAre we putting these guys in the best position to have success?  It always goes back to that, too, and that&#8217;s the thing that we have to be very cognizant about, because we have a good group and we&#8217;ve got some skilled players, but we just don&#8217;t know how good we can be yet ,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Rivera said having at least 10 offensive linemen with considerable experience was important, too, because it helped the team last year, when injuries forced it to cycle through five centers.  He also has said keeping core players such as McLaurin, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and Thomas has long been a priority.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p><span class=\"font--article-body font-copy hide-for-print ma-0 pb-md db italic interstitial\">Terry McLaurin is ready to lead as he and the Commanders celebrate new deal<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cWe&#8217;ve found a good number of [core players],\u201d Rivera said.  \u201cI don&#8217;t think we have all the pieces.  &#8230; This training camp will be very important for us to see where some of our players are.  Have they developed?  Have they gotten to where they need to be?  Going into this, there were a lot of question marks.  We obviously had to change a lot of our thinking now that we have Carson.  My thought process changed with it, about who we are and who we can be.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">And, of course, adding a quarterback whose skill set fits the scheme was a years-long priority.  Wentz will be starting quarterback No.  9 for Washington since Rivera arrived in 2020. After being traded by the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts in successive offseasons, Wentz comes with plenty of unknowns, including whether he can help revive a franchise that has been in the doldrums for much of the past two decades.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Rivera, again, has confidence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cI know a lot of people don&#8217;t give us a lot of credit for that or give us any hope for being any good this year, which is fine,\u201d he said.  \u201cBut we&#8217;re going to fight.  We&#8217;re going to show up and give everything we are.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"b bt bc-offblack dn-ns hide-for-print\" data-testid=\"mostRead\" subscriptions-section=\"content\"\/><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Comment on this story Comment Ron Rivera has confidence \u2014 confidence in a process and in a roster he thinks could content. It was only a year ago, when Washington opened training camp in Richmond, that the coach expressed a mix of hope and concern for the start of the new season. Sure, his 2020 &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/commanders-ron-rivera-is-confident-heading-into-2022-nfl-season\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Commanders&#8217; Ron Rivera is confident heading into 2022 NFL season<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":29246,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/ron-rivera-expects-chase-young-to-miss-some-regular-season-time\/","url_meta":{"origin":23507,"position":0},"title":"Ron Rivera expects Chase Young to miss some regular season time","date":"July 29, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"\r \r \r Getty Images Commanders defensive end Chase Young is currently on the physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from last season's torn ACL and it looks like his stay on that list will be on the longer side.Head coach Ron Rivera was a guest\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"Washington Football Team v Denver Broncos","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/profootballtalk.nbcsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2022\/07\/GettyImages-1353182794-e1659097871216.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6484,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/ron-rivera-we-want-men-like-terry-mclaurin-representing-this-organization\/","url_meta":{"origin":23507,"position":1},"title":"Ron Rivera: We want men like Terry McLaurin representing this organization","date":"July 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"\r \r \r Getty Images Wide receiver Terry McLaurin's impact on the Commanders offense has been easy to see over the last three seasons, but head coach Ron Rivera said Wednesday that his on-field impact isn't the only reason why the team signed him to a three-year contract extension.Rivera introduced\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"Washington Football Team v Philadelphia Eagles","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/profootballtalk.nbcsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2022\/07\/GettyImages-1360406750-e1657128531679.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":29034,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/washington-commanders-secondary-dominates-second-day-of-training-camp\/","url_meta":{"origin":23507,"position":2},"title":"Washington Commanders secondary dominates second day of training camp","date":"July 29, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Comment on this storyCommentHis burgundy shirt was already drenched with sweat from sprinting up and down the field, but Chris Harris couldn't contain his enthusiasm, so he again high-stepped it another 40 yards toward the line of scrimmage. The Washington Commanders defensive backs coach, a solo entertainment crew and hype\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10179,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/naya-rivera-remembered-by-glee-co-stars-two-years-after-death\/","url_meta":{"origin":23507,"position":3},"title":"Naya Rivera remembered by &#8216;Glee&#8217; co-stars two years after death","date":"July 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Friday marked two years to the day since Naya Rivera drowned in the Lake Piru reservoir in Southern California, and the sad anniversary did not pass unnoticed by her \u201cGlee\u201d co-stars, who took to Instagram to share tributes to the late actress, singer and model. \u201cEveryday my angel. I miss\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Entertainment&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":32852,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/d-backs-royals-to-swap-luke-weaver-for-emmanuel-rivera\/","url_meta":{"origin":23507,"position":4},"title":"D-Backs, Royals To Swap Luke Weaver For Emmanuel Rivera","date":"August 2, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The Royals and Diamondbacks are nearing agreement on a deal that'll send right-hander Luke Weaver to Kansas City for infielder Emmanuel Riverareports John Gambadoro of 98.7FM radio in Phoenix (twitter link). Weaver was once a high-profile acquisition of the Diamondbacks, coming over as part of the package they received for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-apps\/imrs.php?src=https:\/\/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/ZM7NIFFHGBFNNI6DOI4TJ237TY.jpg&w=1440","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23507"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23507"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23507\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}