Commanders News: Ron Rivera, Emmanuel Forbes, Efe Obada and Sean Taylor

Commanders defensive changes

Firing defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio was a necessary evil for the Washington Commanders. Their defense was stagnant, out of ideas, and uninspired, leading to porous displays and almost no consistent production at all three levels.

This was Ron Rivera's last throw of the dice, even though his own personal fate seems like a done deal once the campaign concludes. He'll keep plugging away regardless and the head coach has already made his standards clear in no uncertain terms based on comments via the team's website.

"Just unfortunate [with] the situation, circumstances, but [I] did feel that change was something that we needed to do going forward. Really to see if we can shake some things up and get some things started. We have to be better. We know that. I think shaking it up now gives us an opportunity to do some things differently and play some guys differently and see what's going on and see if we can do things to make some things happen, in a positive sense. I've already talked to all the defensive coaches, talked to the entire coaching staff, and then I talked to the defensive staff, then I talked to each defensive coach individually and talked about what I was looking for, what I want, what I wanted to get accomplished. If you don't change things, can you expect things to change? So that's what I'm doing, to see if things will change."

- Ron Rivera via Commanders.com

It'll be interesting to see what changes are implemented. But restricting an explosive Miami Dolphins from putting up substantial points at FedEx Field seems like a tall order all things considered.