Commanders Week 17 Key Numbers: Carson Wentz wets the bed vs Browns

If it wasn’t abundantly clear over the last three-plus weeks, Ron Rivera and company ended all doubt in Week 17. The Washington Commanders are not a well-coached football team.

After a 24-10 loss to the Browns, the only person in Washington left with a grin on his face was new mascot, Major Tuddy. Well, his face is stuck that way, so he doesn’t really have a choice, and he also doesn’t yet know the disappointment this fan base has had to endure for years.

It was like déjà vu with the Commanders once again coming up short in a must-win game. We’ve seen this story play out before, against the Giants (2x), the 49ers, and on Sunday against the Browns.

Except, this time, the team was out of chances. Out of luck. There was no life raft piloted by Kirk Cousins to keep the Commanders in the playoff race.

And the worst part was, Ron Rivera seemed clueless to the fact that his team could be eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday.

Welp, a few hours later, with a Packers win, Washington was officially eliminated from the playoffs. And, based on the way this team has played the last few weeks, it didn’t deserve the No. 7 seed. Juxtapose Washington’s situation with what is happening in New York with the Giants.

The Giants started hot, going 6-1, fell apart and then regrouped, winning an important game against the Commanders before clinching a playoff spot with a big win against the Colts on Sunday.

Washington, on the other hand, started the season with a whimper at 1-4, won six of its next seven, primarily with Taylor Heinicke at the helm, before ending with a whimper.

With the season on the line, Ron Rivera chose to put the ball in Carson Wentz’s hands. The same quarterback that went 12-for-22 for 99 yards in his last full start. The same quarterback that lost to the worst team in the NFL last season in a playoff-clinching game, finishing 17-for-29 for 185 yards, with an interception and a fumble lost.

Instead of admitting to his $28 million mistake, Ron Rivera doubled down and tried to prove he was the smartest man in the room.

And, Wentz once again wet the bed.

It may have been even worse than last year’s collapse against the Jaguars. Wentz finished 16-for-27 with 143 passing yards and 3 interceptions. After Wentz started 0-for-2 with an interception on Washington’s first drive, the calls for Heinicke came ringing in from the crowd. Maybe, Rivera should have listened.

Let’s get into the Week 17 numbers from the Commanders’ frustrating loss to the Browns.