National Football League

Commanders 'ticked off,' but look to turn page on controversial finish vs. Giants

Published Dec. 19, 2022 3:29 p.m. ET

LANDOVER, Md. — Ron Rivera is angry, and rightfully so. He's got a strong case that the Washington Commanders were robbed of a chance to tie the game against the New York Giants on Sunday night. He can make an even better case that his team blew some real good opportunities to win it.

"Oh yeah, it's disappointing as heck. It really is," Rivera said after the Commanders' 20-12 loss to the Giants. "It pisses me off. We had an opportunity to win. I thought we did everything we were supposed to do, getting the ball down to the 1-yard line and getting lined up. Checking to make sure we're lined up properly and then having that taken away from us. That's why it's hard to comprehend like that."

He's not wrong. The illegal formation called on receiver Terry McLaurin at the 1 with 1:01 left in the game — a call that basically derailed a potential game-tying drive — was certainly questionable, especially since it looked like the side judge told McLaurin he was lined up correctly. And it sure did look like Giants cornerback Darnay Holmes interfered with McLaurin in the end zone two plays later on the final play of the game.

So yes, they got screwed. And they also screwed themselves. Quarterback Taylor Heinicke lost a fumble that Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux recovered for a touchdown in the second quarter, and he lost another one in the fourth quarter after the Commanders had driven inside the Giants' 10. The refs may have cost them a game that could have solidified their place in the playoffs. They also did a good job of throwing the game away themselves.

That's why the Commanders (7-6-1) are now basically two games behind the Giants (8-5-1) — one plus the tiebreaker — in the NFC standings, and just a half-game ahead of the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions in the race for the final NFC playoff spot with just three games to go.

It's also why they have to get over what happened Sunday night — and get over it fast. Otherwise, they'll have no shot of making the playoffs at all.

"We can't really feel sorry for ourselves or hang our head," McLaurin said. "We're going on a short week all the way out west to play a really good San Francisco team (on Saturday). This is adversity for our team and we just have to show up when it matters most."

That would be now, as they head into the three most important games of their season — maybe even the most important of the Rivera Era. They had been one of the hottest teams in football for most of the last two months, riding a 6-1-1 streak into contention. But their loss to the Giants felt like they ran into a brick wall, stopping their momentum and leaving them momentarily dazed.

They are still in control of their own destiny, but their situation is perilous, especially as they gear up to face a 49ers (10-4) team riding a seven-game win streak and powered by the No. 1 defense in the league. Then they come home to face the Cleveland Browns (6-8) who have won three of their last four. And then they wrap the season at home against Dallas (10-4) in a game where they sure hope the Cowboys will be resting their starters.

Two wins would probably put them in the playoffs, but considering how close the Seahawks (7-7) and Lions (7-7) are in their rearview mirror, even that isn't assured.

The Seahawks had long seemed like the biggest threat to the NFC East's stranglehold on the NFC wild-card spots, but they are having some issues of their own. They've lost three of their last four as some of the magic has worn off of Geno Smith's comeback season, while their defense has struggled and their rushing attack has all but disappeared.

The real dangerous team now is the Lions, who have won six of their last seven games to dig out of a 1-6 start. Their quarterback, Jared Goff, has been on fire and hasn't thrown an interception in his last six games, in which the Lions have averaged 30.2 points. Their defense is still an issue, but they have a strong pass rush with 30 sacks. And they've beaten the Giants, Vikings and Jets over the last month, while falling just short against the Buffalo Bills.

But what makes the Lions really dangerous is they don't play a winning team the rest of the way. Their last three games are at the Carolina Panthers (5-9), home against the Chicago Bears (3-11) and at the Green Bay Packers (5-8). A 3-0 finish isn't out of the question. And if they do finish with a 10-7 record, that means the Commanders will have to win their final three games to stay ahead.

That could be a lot to ask, which is why there's no time for the Commanders to stay ticked off — unless they can find a way to make that work.

"(We're) upset, ready to take it out on somebody," said rookie running back Brian Robinson. "I feel like it just adds fuel to the fire and we can use it for next week. Our guys are going to be fired up next week."

They have to be because their loss on Sunday night — regardless of why it happened — has left them barely clinging to their place in the playoff field. And if they don't get over it quickly, it could be tough to hang on.

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Ralph Vacchiano is the NFC East reporter for FOX Sports, covering the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.

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