Alex Smith spent his final NFL season playing for Ron Rivera in Washington, and Smith had some harsh words for Rivera today in response to Rivera blaming the quarterback for his team being in last place.
Smith said on ESPN that Rivera should not have put all the blame on Carson Wentz, and that a head coach needs to recognize that it’s a team game and everyone shares the responsibility when the team falls short.
“I had a really hard time watching that,” Smith said. “When I heard it, I couldn’t believe it. I’m not here to defend Carson Wentz. He’s had a tumultuous career and ups and downs. But this is a defensive head coach that’s absolutely driving the bus over his quarterback.”
Smith noted that Washington’s defense and running game haven’t played particularly well, either, and so it’s unfair to suggest that it all falls on Wentz.
“The blame has got to be spread around,” Smith said. “This is a team sport. It is the ultimate team sport. How can a head coach stand up there in front of the media and utter one word, and it’s ‘quarterback’?”
Smith is right. Wentz has not played well this season, but he’s far from the only problem in Washington. And other teams find ways to succeed even without elite quarterback play: Just yesterday the Cowboys won their fourth straight game with Cooper Rush at quarterback, the Patriots won in a blowout with rookie third-stringer Bailey Zappe making his first career start, and the day’s highest-scoring game was played between offenses quarterbacked by Andy Dalton and Geno Smith. If other coaches can find ways to succeed with those quarterbacks, why can’t Rivera find a way to succeed with Wentz?
It wouldn’t be surprising if there are current Washington players who feel the same way Smith does. Rivera’s comments may not sit well in the Commanders’ locker room.