Pressers

Ron Rivera Presser: We’re just starting to scratch the surface on offense

Ron Rivera speaks to the media after today's practicep

By Scott Jennings@ScottJenningsHH Sep 17, 2020, 3:00pm EDT

Ron Rivera gave more updates as the Washington Football Team prepares for their first away game of the season, traveling to Arizona to play the Cardinals on Sunday. He continued to hammer home the point that his defense has to contain QB Kyler Murray, and the linebackers and secondary need to play disciplined football. If they get caught looking in the backfield, they can give up big plays. DeAndre Hopkins and Larry Fitzgerald can both get behind defenses, and they don’t want a repeat of Jalen Reagor breaking out for a big play last week.

Washington’s offense isn’t where they want to be right now, and Rivera said it might not be there until next season. Every team in the league had to deal with a shortened, and highly regulated offseason program this season. They still have a ways to go installing their offense, and there are a lot of nuances that take time to implement.

Rivera went on to talk about a few of the main players on offense. Logan Thomas has a good skillset, even if he’s not a natural TE, and Rivera feels pretty good about him. TE Pete Hoener was hard on him in training camp, but he has a history of improving TEs he works with. Terry McLaurin is a true pro. Dwayne Haskins Jr. has taken more responsibility as a leader, and works with his teammates to improve on his mistakes.

Press Conference - Ron Rivera https://t.co/vzuD1dmlag
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) September 17, 2020

Injury Update:

Head coach Ron Rivera speaking to the media now. No changes to the injury report. Kendall Fuller and Thomas Davis Sr. were full participants. Cole Holcomb (knee) was limited.
— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) September 17, 2020

Saahdiq Charles:

Saahdiq Charles is off the injury report, he's practicing and he's competing, Ron Rivera says when asked about Charles and possibly competing for that starting LT gig.
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) September 17, 2020

Practice:

Ron Rivera seems to like the temperature of his team after two days of practice and a big come from behind win. Friday is more of a situational football practice so they want to tighten up.
— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) September 17, 2020

Kyler Murray:

Rivera said the back seven has to play smart football against Kyler Murray. If a guy starts to look in the backfield, he can give up plays. If he breaks contain, they have to be disciplined enough to force an incompletion.
— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) September 17, 2020

Rivera says that first and foremost, the linebackers and secondary need to be disciplined and smart going against a running QB like Kyler Murray.
— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) September 17, 2020

Ron Rivera on Kyler Murray - "One thing they can't do, you've got to be strict in yours zones.....if he breaks contain, you have to be disciplined enough (to force a throw away). "@WSHFootballSI
— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) September 17, 2020

Dual threat QBs:

Kliff Kingsbury and Ron Rivera have both said this week they believe the days of a true drop-back QB are dead.

Have to have a guy who can make a play when things collapse around him.
— michael phillips (@michaelpRTD) September 17, 2020

Rivera talking about the emergence of dual-threat quarterbacks:

"I'm not sure if you'll ever see the true drop-back passer coming out [of college] like they used to."

Also said that they have to train D-linemen completely different to deal with how quarterbacks are now.
— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) September 17, 2020

Secondary vs Eagles:

Rivera said the secondary played smart and disciplined once it settled into Sunday's game.
— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) September 17, 2020

Ron Rivera says he was disappointed in a few things defensively...The Ron Darby - Jalen Reagor bomb + not carrying receivers in zone early on. @WSHFootballSI
— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) September 17, 2020

Secondary vs Cardinals:

Rivera is preaching discipline to his secondary against DeAndre Hopkins and Larry Fitzgerald, both of whom have the ability to get behind defenses for big plays.
— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) September 17, 2020

Defensive line:

Rivera said that throughout his coaching career, he's been fortunate to have guys that were very productive getting after the quarterback. Also credits D-line coach Sam Mills III, who was the asst D-line coach in Carolina from 2011-2018.
— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) September 17, 2020

Offense:

Rivera said there's still a "ways to go" for the offense. "Right now, we're just starting to scratch the surface of it. ... It's going to take a while to be where we want to be," he said.
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) September 17, 2020

Rivera said that, in terms of implementation, the offense has a "ways to go" thanks in part to the wild offseason. Defense is pretty much there.
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) September 17, 2020

Ron Rivera explains the offense is a ways off from being where they want it to be. There are nuances that have to learned, and that's something time can fix. He said "you really won't get a feel for it until next season."
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) September 17, 2020

Ron Rivera has used phrases like "it's going to take a while" and "we've got a ways to go" when talking about his offense's progression so far. Even said we may not see the full operation that he and Turner want until next year
— Pete Hailey (@PeteHaileyNBCS) September 17, 2020

TEs Coach Pete Hoener:

Rivera said Pete Hoener has developed plenty of great tight ends in his career from Greg Olsen to Delanie Walker. He's confident Hoener can continue to develop Logan Thomas, who Hoener believes has a good skillset.
— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) September 17, 2020

Ron Rivera says TE Coach Pete Hoener "feels pretty good" about Logan Thomas' development so far.

TD last week. Not a natural TE obviously. Hoener was really hard on him during camp. @WSHFootballSI
— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) September 17, 2020

Terry McLaurin:

Rivera called Terry McLaurin a young pro. "He's a solid young football player and a solid young man."
— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) September 17, 2020

Head coach Ron Rivera on @WashingtonNFL WR Terry McLaurin: "Everything about him says Pro."
— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) September 17, 2020

Dwayne Haskins Jr.:

Ron Rivera says part of the growth for Haskins is taking responsibility for when he doesn't do the right thing, he goes to his teammates to discuss what happened on plays and to correct it.
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) September 17, 2020

Rivera has seen Dwayne Haskins take more responsibility as a leader. Haskins will always go up to receivers after plays to tell see what he can do better to get the ball in their hands.
— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) September 17, 2020

Chase Young:

Ron Rivera says he does want to encourage Chase Young to continue to play like he wants to be in the Hall of Fame, but there's a balance of also making sure he knows he has continue to play at a high level and to let his play speak for itself.
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) September 17, 2020