“It was an opportunity for us to see where Carson was, and he did a nice job,” Rivera revealed to reporters after the game. “We’re in a pretty good situation now.”

Rivera confirmed that he would consult with his offensive coaches and evaluate the current situation before deciding who to start in the next game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. He explained that he did not want to simply hand the position to Heinicke by default without evaluating Wentz’s performance.

During the 49ers game, Wentz completed 12 of 16 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Heinicke also proved effective during Saturday’s loss, completing 8 of 11 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. Still, the 29-year-old stated that he is used to being in a situation where his job security seems uncertain.

Currently sitting at the bottom of the NFC East, the Commanders will be hoping to overturn a two-game losing streak when they host the Cleveland Browns next Sunday.

The post Washington Commanders Coach Unsure If Heinicke Benching Permanent appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

While the co-owners refused to elaborate on the nature of such transactions, a Commanders spokesperson vaguely stated that the Syders are “exploring all options” as they remain committed to “continuing the work to set the gold standard for workplaces in the NFL.”

Attorneys Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, who represent more than 40 employees in the Washington Commanders organization, welcomed this news, stating: “Today’s news that Dan and Tanya Snyder are exploring selling the Washington Commanders is a good development for the team, its former and current employees, and its many fans. We will have to see how this unfolds, but this could obviously be a big step towards healing and closure for the many brave women and men who came forward.”

Dan Snyder’s ownership of the team has been surrounded by controversy, particularly due to allegations of sexual misconduct along with the alleged creation of a toxic work environment. Currently, the NFL is investigating Snyder for sexual misconduct for the second time, with the first investigation resulting in a fine of $10 million for the Commanders.

The post Washington Commanders Owners Hire Bank of America to Explore Sale appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Fitzpatrick came into the season as Washington’s starter but lasted only one quarter of the Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Chargers before hurting his hip. Although the team hoped he could return after several weeks, the 39-year-old never managed to heal properly to make that a reality.

Losing their starting quarterback is usually devastating for the team’s chances in any given season, but Washington managed to cope with Fitzpatrick’s absence quite well. This is mostly thanks to his backup Taylor Heinicke, who played great football after some early struggles and has his team in playoff contention. Washington is currently on a four-game winning streak that lifted them to a 6-6 record.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, will most likely have to look for a new team in 2022. He is on a one-year contract, and the emergence of Heinicke probably means that Washington won’t offer him an extension in March. Thanks to his experience and respectable resume, Fitzpatrick shouldn’t have problems landing a backup job in the NFL. Anything past that, however, is highly doubtful.

Throughout his 17 seasons in NFL, Fitzpatrick played for nine different teams, including Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has 60.7 percent career completion while throwing for 34,990 yards and 223 touchdowns.

The post Washington’s QB Ryan Fitzpatrick Set to Have a Season-Ending Hip Surgery appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Hopkins is out despite being solid through the first six weeks of 2021. He made 12 out of 14 field goals he attempted and is ranked as the 12th most accurate kicker in NFL this season. The 31-year-old did, however, miss two extra points this season.

Even more surprising than Hopkins’ exit is the replacement Washington has lined up. Blewitt just joined the team’s practice squad only last week and has never kicked a field goal in the NFL. Also, as ESPN points out, his last FG attempt in a game came five years ago while at college.

Blewitt played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers between 2013 and 2016 and had a 69.6 percent conversion. He also missed four extra-point attempts during his last two years as a Panther.

Dustin Hopkins leaves Washington after spending seven years with the franchise. Hopkins kicked in 93 games during that time and made 84.0 percent of his FG tries. He also missed only 11 out of 190 extra points he attempted.

The post Washington Releases Veteran K Dustin Hopkins appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Sternberger was released by the Packers back in September and has spent the last couple of weeks on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.

Picking up Sternberger makes sense for Washington, considering the team needed depth on the tight end position after losing veteran Logan Thomas to a hamstring injury. Thomas was placed on the injured reserve list on Wednesday and is expected to be out for at least four weeks.

Sternberger might play a significant role on Washington’s offense depending on how veteran Ricky Seals-Jones, who is set to start in Week 5, plays moving forward. Rookie John Bates and international prospect Sammis Reyes comprise the remainder of the team’s TE core.

Jace Sternberger entered the NFL as a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft but never managed to live up to the expectations. In his two years in Green Bay, he only managed to make 13 catches for 114 yards and one touchdown.

The post Washington Signs Former Packers TE Jace Sternberger appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Rivera also added that he and the coaching staff will be cautious about Samuel’s conditioning and will manage his snaps.

“We’ll sprinkle him in,” Rivera said. “There are some things he did that I really liked seeing today … It’s not like we expect him to come out and play 65 plays. That’s the thing we have to be smart about.”

Samuel is one of Washington’s most significant offseason additions, having signed a three-year, $34.5 million contract in March. But his stint with the franchise got off to a bad start, as he suffered a groin injury at the start of training camp and later landed on the COVID-19 list.

The Ohio State product returned to practice in mid-August but ended up suffering a setback just days before Washington was set to play their season opener. He was promptly placed on IR, causing him to miss the first three weeks of the 2021 NFL season.

Prior to joining Washington, Curtis Samuel spent four years with the Carolina Panthers. He played 52 games for the Panthers, catching 185 passes for 2,087 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

The post Washington’s Curtis Samuel Activated Off IR appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Giants had a better start to the game, going the distance on their first drive. They marched 79 yards down the field and managed to put seven points on the board thanks to quarterback Daniel Jones’ six-yard run.

Washington, playing without their starting quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick, didn’t have much going for them on offense in the first quarter. But backup Taylor Heinicke managed to turn things around in the second quarter, leading the team on two scoring drives. Wideout Terry McLaurin scored the first while the second one got punched in by J.D. McKissic.

The second period saw both teams taking turns in the lead. The Giants put some impressive stretches thanks to a 47-yarder by Graham Gano and an impressive 33-yard TD pass that Jones completed to Darius Slayton.

Washington, on the other hand, needed just two plays to go 75 yards and score.

The most interesting part of the game, however, came in the last three minutes. Washington had both the ball and a 27-26 lead. They only needed to waste enough time and put points on board to win it all.

However, Heinicke misjudged one pass to McLaurin and ended up being picked by James Bradberry. This set up the Giants for a field goal that gave them the lead with 2:00 left on the clock.

This proved to be enough time for Washington’s offense to make amends. With several impressive plays, Heinicke managed to set up his kicker Dustin Hopkins for a 48-yard attempt. Hopkins missed his first attempt but managed to do better in a do-over due to a penalty.

This was the first win for Washington in 2021 and will probably serve as an encouragement ahead of the tough Week 3 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The New York Giants, on the other hand, will face the Atlanta Falcons next week in an attempt to get their first win.

The post Dustin Hopkins’ Last-Second FG Lifts Washington Over Giants appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Fitzpatrick will have to miss at least three weeks of football after landing on the IR, but depending on the severity of the injury, he might be sidelined longer than that. In his absence, Taylor Heinicke will take over under center.

This was confirmed by Washington head coach Ron Rivera in a press conference on Monday, who added that he believes Heinicke and backup Kyle Allen can respond to the task.

“We like the guys we have; they’ve done good things for us. We’ll see what happens,” River said. “I’m as confident as I could be.”

Ryan Fitzpatrick, who joined Washington in free agency after spending two years with the Miami Dolphins, had a rough start against the Chargers. The 37-year-old star managed to complete three out of six passes attempted while throwing for 13 yards.

Fitzpatrick got hurt four minutes into the second period. The injury resulted from a tackle by Chargers defensive end Uchenna Nwosu, who landed on the veteran while bringing him down on the ground.

Stepping in for Fitzpatrick, Heinicke delivered an encouraging performance and finished the contest with 122 passing yards and a touchdown pass. Still, he couldn’t help the Washington Football Team to avoid defeat, as the Chargers ended up claiming the 20-16 win.

The post QB Ryan Fitzpatrick Lands on IR with Hip Injury appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Eagles confirmed the news on their social media.

Kerrigan, who is Washington’s all-time leader in sacks, had a productive year in 2020 despite being demoted to a backup and lining up for just 38 percent of defensive snaps. He finished the season with 5.5 sacks, 17 tackles, six QB hits, and one pass deflection.

Washington was reportedly interested in bringing back Kerrigan but again offered him a lesser role as the team turned to younger players. After considering everything, the 32-year-old veteran opted to go to Philadelphia, where he believes he’ll have a better chance of contributing.

“Whether I’m a starter or a reserve, I still imagine I’ll get a lot of playing time,” Kerrigan explained his decision to ESPN. “That was a big thing for me.”

Ryan Kerrigan’s arrival will probably cause mixed feelings among the Eagles’ fanbase, considering how prolific he was playing against their team. Kerrigan has 13.5 career sacks when playing Philly, tied for most he has against a single NFL team.

Kerrigan spent 10 seasons with Washington, a team that picked him No. 16 in the 2011 NFL Draft. During his time with the franchise, he played 156 games while earning four All-Pro nods. His career stats include 95.5 sacks, 147 QB hits, 454 tackles, 26 forced fumbles, and three defensive touchdowns.

The post All-Pro DE Ryan Kerrigan Signs with the Eagles appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Having veteran quarterback Alex Smith back under center, Washington opened the game in a dominant fashion and scored in their first two possessions of the game.

Smith took the offense 91 yards down the field and capped it off with a TD throw to Terry McLaurin, while Dustin Hopkins followed with a 42-yard field goal on the next drive.

The Eagles bounced back in the second period, with quarterback Jale Hurts scoring consecutive rushing touchdowns and giving his team the lead with 1:36 left in the first half.

However, Washington’s offense showed up once again despite the clock running out. Smith connected with tight end Logan Thomas in the endzone to make it 17-14.

The second half was much less eventful, with defenses taking the spotlight. This resulted in seven combined punts, two interceptions by Philly, and one interception by Washington.

Washington did manage to put some points on the board, with Hopkins delivering another 42-yarder to extend the lead.

The win against Philly brought Washington to a 7-9 record for 2020. They became only the third team to win their division with a losing record after 2014’s Carolina Panthers (7-8-1) and 2010’s Seattle Seahawks (7-9).

Washington will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday.

The post Washington Beats Philly, Clinch NFC East and Playoff Spot Despite Losing Record appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“It was an opportunity for us to see where Carson was, and he did a nice job,” Rivera revealed to reporters after the game. “We’re in a pretty good situation now.”

Rivera confirmed that he would consult with his offensive coaches and evaluate the current situation before deciding who to start in the next game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. He explained that he did not want to simply hand the position to Heinicke by default without evaluating Wentz’s performance.

During the 49ers game, Wentz completed 12 of 16 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Heinicke also proved effective during Saturday’s loss, completing 8 of 11 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. Still, the 29-year-old stated that he is used to being in a situation where his job security seems uncertain.

Currently sitting at the bottom of the NFC East, the Commanders will be hoping to overturn a two-game losing streak when they host the Cleveland Browns next Sunday.

The post Washington Commanders Coach Unsure If Heinicke Benching Permanent appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

While the co-owners refused to elaborate on the nature of such transactions, a Commanders spokesperson vaguely stated that the Syders are “exploring all options” as they remain committed to “continuing the work to set the gold standard for workplaces in the NFL.”

Attorneys Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, who represent more than 40 employees in the Washington Commanders organization, welcomed this news, stating: “Today’s news that Dan and Tanya Snyder are exploring selling the Washington Commanders is a good development for the team, its former and current employees, and its many fans. We will have to see how this unfolds, but this could obviously be a big step towards healing and closure for the many brave women and men who came forward.”

Dan Snyder’s ownership of the team has been surrounded by controversy, particularly due to allegations of sexual misconduct along with the alleged creation of a toxic work environment. Currently, the NFL is investigating Snyder for sexual misconduct for the second time, with the first investigation resulting in a fine of $10 million for the Commanders.

The post Washington Commanders Owners Hire Bank of America to Explore Sale appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Fitzpatrick came into the season as Washington’s starter but lasted only one quarter of the Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Chargers before hurting his hip. Although the team hoped he could return after several weeks, the 39-year-old never managed to heal properly to make that a reality.

Losing their starting quarterback is usually devastating for the team’s chances in any given season, but Washington managed to cope with Fitzpatrick’s absence quite well. This is mostly thanks to his backup Taylor Heinicke, who played great football after some early struggles and has his team in playoff contention. Washington is currently on a four-game winning streak that lifted them to a 6-6 record.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, will most likely have to look for a new team in 2022. He is on a one-year contract, and the emergence of Heinicke probably means that Washington won’t offer him an extension in March. Thanks to his experience and respectable resume, Fitzpatrick shouldn’t have problems landing a backup job in the NFL. Anything past that, however, is highly doubtful.

Throughout his 17 seasons in NFL, Fitzpatrick played for nine different teams, including Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has 60.7 percent career completion while throwing for 34,990 yards and 223 touchdowns.

The post Washington’s QB Ryan Fitzpatrick Set to Have a Season-Ending Hip Surgery appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Hopkins is out despite being solid through the first six weeks of 2021. He made 12 out of 14 field goals he attempted and is ranked as the 12th most accurate kicker in NFL this season. The 31-year-old did, however, miss two extra points this season.

Even more surprising than Hopkins’ exit is the replacement Washington has lined up. Blewitt just joined the team’s practice squad only last week and has never kicked a field goal in the NFL. Also, as ESPN points out, his last FG attempt in a game came five years ago while at college.

Blewitt played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers between 2013 and 2016 and had a 69.6 percent conversion. He also missed four extra-point attempts during his last two years as a Panther.

Dustin Hopkins leaves Washington after spending seven years with the franchise. Hopkins kicked in 93 games during that time and made 84.0 percent of his FG tries. He also missed only 11 out of 190 extra points he attempted.

The post Washington Releases Veteran K Dustin Hopkins appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Sternberger was released by the Packers back in September and has spent the last couple of weeks on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.

Picking up Sternberger makes sense for Washington, considering the team needed depth on the tight end position after losing veteran Logan Thomas to a hamstring injury. Thomas was placed on the injured reserve list on Wednesday and is expected to be out for at least four weeks.

Sternberger might play a significant role on Washington’s offense depending on how veteran Ricky Seals-Jones, who is set to start in Week 5, plays moving forward. Rookie John Bates and international prospect Sammis Reyes comprise the remainder of the team’s TE core.

Jace Sternberger entered the NFL as a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft but never managed to live up to the expectations. In his two years in Green Bay, he only managed to make 13 catches for 114 yards and one touchdown.

The post Washington Signs Former Packers TE Jace Sternberger appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Rivera also added that he and the coaching staff will be cautious about Samuel’s conditioning and will manage his snaps.

“We’ll sprinkle him in,” Rivera said. “There are some things he did that I really liked seeing today … It’s not like we expect him to come out and play 65 plays. That’s the thing we have to be smart about.”

Samuel is one of Washington’s most significant offseason additions, having signed a three-year, $34.5 million contract in March. But his stint with the franchise got off to a bad start, as he suffered a groin injury at the start of training camp and later landed on the COVID-19 list.

The Ohio State product returned to practice in mid-August but ended up suffering a setback just days before Washington was set to play their season opener. He was promptly placed on IR, causing him to miss the first three weeks of the 2021 NFL season.

Prior to joining Washington, Curtis Samuel spent four years with the Carolina Panthers. He played 52 games for the Panthers, catching 185 passes for 2,087 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

The post Washington’s Curtis Samuel Activated Off IR appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Giants had a better start to the game, going the distance on their first drive. They marched 79 yards down the field and managed to put seven points on the board thanks to quarterback Daniel Jones’ six-yard run.

Washington, playing without their starting quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick, didn’t have much going for them on offense in the first quarter. But backup Taylor Heinicke managed to turn things around in the second quarter, leading the team on two scoring drives. Wideout Terry McLaurin scored the first while the second one got punched in by J.D. McKissic.

The second period saw both teams taking turns in the lead. The Giants put some impressive stretches thanks to a 47-yarder by Graham Gano and an impressive 33-yard TD pass that Jones completed to Darius Slayton.

Washington, on the other hand, needed just two plays to go 75 yards and score.

The most interesting part of the game, however, came in the last three minutes. Washington had both the ball and a 27-26 lead. They only needed to waste enough time and put points on board to win it all.

However, Heinicke misjudged one pass to McLaurin and ended up being picked by James Bradberry. This set up the Giants for a field goal that gave them the lead with 2:00 left on the clock.

This proved to be enough time for Washington’s offense to make amends. With several impressive plays, Heinicke managed to set up his kicker Dustin Hopkins for a 48-yard attempt. Hopkins missed his first attempt but managed to do better in a do-over due to a penalty.

This was the first win for Washington in 2021 and will probably serve as an encouragement ahead of the tough Week 3 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The New York Giants, on the other hand, will face the Atlanta Falcons next week in an attempt to get their first win.

The post Dustin Hopkins’ Last-Second FG Lifts Washington Over Giants appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Fitzpatrick will have to miss at least three weeks of football after landing on the IR, but depending on the severity of the injury, he might be sidelined longer than that. In his absence, Taylor Heinicke will take over under center.

This was confirmed by Washington head coach Ron Rivera in a press conference on Monday, who added that he believes Heinicke and backup Kyle Allen can respond to the task.

“We like the guys we have; they’ve done good things for us. We’ll see what happens,” River said. “I’m as confident as I could be.”

Ryan Fitzpatrick, who joined Washington in free agency after spending two years with the Miami Dolphins, had a rough start against the Chargers. The 37-year-old star managed to complete three out of six passes attempted while throwing for 13 yards.

Fitzpatrick got hurt four minutes into the second period. The injury resulted from a tackle by Chargers defensive end Uchenna Nwosu, who landed on the veteran while bringing him down on the ground.

Stepping in for Fitzpatrick, Heinicke delivered an encouraging performance and finished the contest with 122 passing yards and a touchdown pass. Still, he couldn’t help the Washington Football Team to avoid defeat, as the Chargers ended up claiming the 20-16 win.

The post QB Ryan Fitzpatrick Lands on IR with Hip Injury appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Eagles confirmed the news on their social media.

Kerrigan, who is Washington’s all-time leader in sacks, had a productive year in 2020 despite being demoted to a backup and lining up for just 38 percent of defensive snaps. He finished the season with 5.5 sacks, 17 tackles, six QB hits, and one pass deflection.

Washington was reportedly interested in bringing back Kerrigan but again offered him a lesser role as the team turned to younger players. After considering everything, the 32-year-old veteran opted to go to Philadelphia, where he believes he’ll have a better chance of contributing.

“Whether I’m a starter or a reserve, I still imagine I’ll get a lot of playing time,” Kerrigan explained his decision to ESPN. “That was a big thing for me.”

Ryan Kerrigan’s arrival will probably cause mixed feelings among the Eagles’ fanbase, considering how prolific he was playing against their team. Kerrigan has 13.5 career sacks when playing Philly, tied for most he has against a single NFL team.

Kerrigan spent 10 seasons with Washington, a team that picked him No. 16 in the 2011 NFL Draft. During his time with the franchise, he played 156 games while earning four All-Pro nods. His career stats include 95.5 sacks, 147 QB hits, 454 tackles, 26 forced fumbles, and three defensive touchdowns.

The post All-Pro DE Ryan Kerrigan Signs with the Eagles appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Having veteran quarterback Alex Smith back under center, Washington opened the game in a dominant fashion and scored in their first two possessions of the game.

Smith took the offense 91 yards down the field and capped it off with a TD throw to Terry McLaurin, while Dustin Hopkins followed with a 42-yard field goal on the next drive.

The Eagles bounced back in the second period, with quarterback Jale Hurts scoring consecutive rushing touchdowns and giving his team the lead with 1:36 left in the first half.

However, Washington’s offense showed up once again despite the clock running out. Smith connected with tight end Logan Thomas in the endzone to make it 17-14.

The second half was much less eventful, with defenses taking the spotlight. This resulted in seven combined punts, two interceptions by Philly, and one interception by Washington.

Washington did manage to put some points on the board, with Hopkins delivering another 42-yarder to extend the lead.

The win against Philly brought Washington to a 7-9 record for 2020. They became only the third team to win their division with a losing record after 2014’s Carolina Panthers (7-8-1) and 2010’s Seattle Seahawks (7-9).

Washington will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday.

The post Washington Beats Philly, Clinch NFC East and Playoff Spot Despite Losing Record appeared first on yoursportspot.com.