Coach Rivera: ‘I’m not apologizing for winning’

Washington Football Team coach Ron Rivera has a short message for anyone upset that Philadelphia benched quarterback Jalen Hurts in the fourth quarter of a close game: Tough.

While some have said the move helped Washington beat the Eagles 20-14 on Sunday night to clinch the NFC East and prevent the New York Giants from winning the division, Rivera said he doesn’t want to hear any such talk.

“You play who’s out there,” he said. “I’m not apologizing for winning.”

Washington won the division with a 7-9 record, finishing a game ahead of the Giants. The Eagles, already playing without 10 starters for various reasons, took out Hurts to play seldomused Nate Sudfeld with Washington ahead 17-14.

After the game, Eagles coach Doug Pederson said, “That was my decision solely. Nate has been here for four years and I felt he deserved an opportunity to get some snaps. If there’s anything out there that thinks I was not trying to win the game. ... ( Zach) Ertz is out there, Brandon Graham is out there, Darius Slay is out there. All of our top guys are still on the field at the end.”

Pederson reiterated that point on Monday, saying the offense was struggling to score and his plan was to get Sudfeld into the game.

“It’s just something that — it’s not where any of us want to be. It’s not where our fans wanted us or expected us to be and it’s definitely not where me or (General Manager Howie Roseman) or where (team owner Jeffrey Lurie) wanted us to be at this time sitting here today,” he said. “We wanted to be playing in the postseason. That’s our goal every season. So, this year, this game, this season, didn’t come down to last night.

“We were playing for our lives in a playoff game four, five, six weeks ago where every game mattered, and we failed even then. I’ve got to look at the whole thing, do what’s in the best interest and try to win a game any way possible.”

Rivera does not want Pederson’s decision to detract from what Washington accomplished, needing to win five of its last seven games to earn the title.

“Nobody complained when Pittsburgh did what they did against Cleveland,” Rivera said, referring to the Steelers’ decision to rest starters, including Ben Roethlisberger, in a game that had playoff implications for others. “It’s been a hard road for us and nobody seems to care about that. Nobody cared two weeks ago when we didn’t have some of our best players. Nobody cared last week when we didn’t have them, so why should we be concerned if a coach decides to do something that’s best for his team?”