‘RIVERBOAT RON’ GOES FOR W
While it failed to provide Washington with a win, few are second-guessing Ron Rivera’s gutsy decision to go for a potentially winning 2point conversion in the final minute Sunday.
Rivera wasn’t. His players weren’t, and even New York Giants coach Joe Judge expected the 58-year-old cancer survivor to go for a victory after seeing his new team lose four straight following a season-opening win.
“It’ll eat at me because we lost,” Rivera said shortly after the Giants held off Washing ton 20-19 Sunday to give Judge his first win as a head coach.
“I want to win. I’m playing to win. I’m trying to get our players to understand this is how we’re going to do things.”
A former Chicago Bears linebacker and a member of their 1985 Super Bowl championship team, Rivera is oldschool. Winning is all that matters, especially with a franchise that has struggled for years and which he is charged with turning around.
“I don’t care this is my first year. I don’t care we have a group of young guys who have to learn,” Rivera said after Washington fell to 1-5. “We’re trying to teach them. We’re going to teach them. They’re going to learn how to win, and at the end of the day that’s what we’re here for.”
Riverboat Ron never hesitated to go for the W.
“Coach Rivera, he made it clear we were coming down here to win,” said Washington cornerback Kendall Fuller, who now has interceptions in three straight games.
“Coach Rivera has a strong mindset. He always wants to be the attacker. We came to win and he made a choice to help us win the ballgame.”
Week 6 injury report
Pittsburgh second-year inside linebacker Devin Bush sustained what coach Mike Tomlin called a “significant knee injury” in Pittsburgh’s rout of the Browns. Bush, who had not missed a defensive snap all season, injured his left knee in the second quarter when he took an awkward step while attempting to break up a pass.
Giants coach Judge said receiver C.J. Board had movement in his limbs after suffering a concussion and neck injury in the team’s win.
Board was carted off the field and taken to a hospital after he was hit by safety Deshazor Everett while trying to catch a low pass on a crossing pattern in the third quarter.
• The Eagles went into their game against Baltimore missing seven offensive starters, including four offensive linemen, and then lost two more when RB Miles Sanders (knee) left in the third quarter and tight end Zach Ertz (ankle) exited in the fourth.
• In the Packers’ loss to Tampa Bay, Aaron Rodgers’ blindside protector David Bakhtiari left in the third quarter with a chest injury, leaving Green Bay to play the remainder of the game without its best offensive lineman.
Other notable injuries:
The Patriots lost right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor to an ankle injury in the first quarter, further scrambling their O-line, and defensive lineman Adam Butler left with an injured elbow.
• Vikings CB Mike Hughes (neck) left in the second quarter against Atlanta with the injury that kept him out of two recent games, leaving the Vikings with only three available players at CB: rookie starters Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler and backup Harrison Hand. CB Holton Hill (foot) was inactive for the second straight game.
Ravens RB Mark Ingram (ankle), CB Anthony Averett (shoulder) and OL Tyre Phillips (hand).
• Jaguars LB Myles Jack (ankle), TE Tyler Eifert (neck), G A.J. Cann (shoulder) and S Jarrod Wilson (hamstring).
• Panthers S
(ribs).
• Titans LT Taylor Lewan ( knee) and TE Jonnu Smith (ankle). ris
Juston Bur
Tua under center
Tua Tagovailoa played his first NFL snaps for the Dolphins close to the end of their 24-0 win over the Jets.
The former Alabama star and No. 5 overall pick in April’s draft completed both of his pass attempts for a total of 9 yards. Starter Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 191 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions as the Dolphins built a 21-0 lead by halftime.
The Jets fell to 0-6 this season and are the only winless NFL team remaining. Quarterback Joe Flacco had a tough day, completing just 21 of 44 passes for 186 yards and an interception.