Kevin Sheehan presented one of his better monologues kicking off his Monday podcast episode.
Sheehan declared the Commanders had been “outclassed, outcoached, outed in every possible way they could be” by the Eagles in Week 3.
“The first half of the last two games they have been totally exposed, totally humiliated.” He then reminded his listeners he is aware it is early, and 14 games remain to be played.
Sheehan’s presentation was centered around the fact this is now year three of Ron Rivera’s coach-centric era where he has his own staff, and he is in control of player personnel, not a general manager.
He revealed Sunday was the 7th time in 36 games Rivera’s Washington team was trailing by 20 points or more at halftime. Think about that. Then he added it was the 10th time in 36 games Rivera’s team trailed by 20 points at any time during the game.
Here are some excerpts of actual quotes as well Sheehan offered.
“Games like Sunday, where the game went badly and badly quickly are not unusual with this group.”
“We do not need to hear nor should you (Rivera) speak of the players needing to adhere to the scheme, that the schemes are fine and the players need to do their jobs. That every play ten guys are doing their job, and one guy isn’t. You cannot say that this week.”
“This is the week we should hear Ron Rivera say, ‘This is on me. I am the head coach. I am also in a coach-centric environment, the final decision maker on players.’”
“Well, the buck stops now with Ron Rivera. No more, the players need to be more mature, and they need to do what they’ve been told to do… I believe he will step up in true Harry Truman defiance, ‘the buck stops here.”
“He (Rivera) has been a stand-up guy his entire career. I am not looking for alarm. I’m not looking for a mea culpa. But he is smart enough to know after two weeks like the last two; he can’t put this on the players this week.”
“I still have a belief in Ron Rivera as a competent NFL coach. I know that may sound crazy right now, but look, he has a track record of figuring these things out. His track record is starting slowly and figuring it out, finishing strong. He has done that with his first two teams here. 1-5 (2020) finishing 7-9 and 2-6 (2021) finishing 7-10.”
“He came into one of the most dysfunctional organizations in all of sports. Things got even worse from the moment he arrived: the name being lost, the workplace issues, his cancer, inheriting a 3-13 team, without any semblance of class.”
“The grace period that you have had for the first two years is over. It’s time to start winning more on the field and being less embarrassing off of it. Do that, and you will be pleasantly surprised by our reaction. But don’t play us and ask us to jump on board prematurely.”
“I will tell you this, if what you get moving forward, is what you have gotten the last two games? Three to four wins this year, max. And then we are into a whole different conversation about what is next in 2023.”
“But, it is only three weeks…”
Again, you can find Sheehan’s Monday episode titled “Embarrassed by The Eagles” here.