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Jeff Bezos has not submitted a bid to buy the Washington Commanders

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Several groups submitted bids to purchase the Washington Commanders before a late-December target requested by the investment bank handling the sale, but none reached the $7 billion mark that owner Daniel Snyder seeks for the team, according to a person familiar with the process.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos sat out this stage of the bidding, according to multiple people familiar with the process, potentially opening the door to other buyers interested in acquiring the franchise.

Some of those familiar with the process, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the confidential nature of the bidding, said it’s unclear whether Bezos’s inaction reflects ambivalence over the price Snyder seeks, a ploy to sit back and ultimately outbid the top offer or some other misgivings about making an offer.

Because of Bezos’s vast net worth, many concede the team would be his for the taking if he wants it enough to simply trump the highest offer by anyone else. Given the uncertainty over his intentions, several groups of prospective buyers are vying to be next in line if Bezos opts out or sets a hard cap on what he’s willing to pay, people with ties to the process have said.

Daniel Snyder calls England his usual residence in recent filing

If Bezos does not intensify his efforts, those who stand to benefit could include some of the bidders who last year tried but failed to purchase the Denver Broncos. The finalists for the Broncos have been expected to be contenders for the Commanders, a person familiar with the process said.

Those include media entrepreneur Byron Allen; Clearlake Capital co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano, who previously attempted to purchase a minority stake in the Commanders from Snyder’s former limited partners; Josh Harris, the co-founder of Apollo Global Management and the owner of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils; and Todd L. Boehly, the CEO of Eldridge Industries, the chairman of the Chelsea Football Club and a part-owner of Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers, the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.

Boehly is believed to have been strongly interested in the Commanders during the bidding process, but it is not clear whether he remains active in that pursuit. It is also unclear if Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s co-founders joined forces in a prospective Commanders bid or have been pursuing the team on separate tracks. A spokesperson for Boehly has not responded to repeated requests for comment.

Boehly, 49, a 1991 graduate of Bethesda’s Landon School, led the consortium that won the hotly contested global auction to buy Chelsea FC for roughly $3.1 billion and committed more than $2 billion for a stadium and other team spending. The deal was largely funded by Clearlake Capital.

Spokespeople for Harris, who grew up in Chevy Chase and attended the Field School, repeatedly have declined to comment, as have spokespeople for Eghbali and Feliciano.

Mat Ishbia, the president and CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, expressed interest in the Commanders in November. But he no longer is pursuing the team, a spokesman for him said last month, after reaching an agreement to buy the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury from Robert Sarver. That deal valued the Suns and Mercury at $4 billion and included all of Sarver’s interest in the teams and a portion of the interest of Sarver’s ownership partners.

The Pat Bowlen Trust sold the Broncos in June to a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton. That $4.65 billion purchase is the record sale price for an NFL franchise. The owners officially ratified the deal in August. Forbes estimated in August that the Commanders are worth $5.6 billion.

Potential bidders for Commanders are fixated on Jeff Bezos’s intent

Bezos, who owns The Washington Post, has an estimated net worth of $121.3 billion, according to Forbes, which ranks him as the world’s fourth-wealthiest person. Multiple NFL owners have expressed interest in having Bezos pursue an NFL franchise. He also has been linked to the Seattle Seahawks, who probably will be sold in the coming years by the trust of late owner Paul Allen, a former co-founder of Microsoft.

Bezos’s pursuit of any NFL team could become complicated if he chooses to return to Amazon as the company’s CEO, a role he ceded to his chosen successor Andy Jassy in July 2021. Several business publications including Fortune reported this month that is a possibility, based on analyst forecasts. NFL team owners and league executives could view that as a conflict, given that Amazon pays the NFL roughly $1 billion annually to carry the league’s “Thursday Night Football” package. As the owner of an NFL franchise, Bezos would have access to privileged financial information relevant to future broadcast negotiations.

In November, a person familiar with the situation said Bezos was interested in the Commanders and might bid with music mogul Jay-Z as an investor in his group. Bezos declined to comment on his potential bid for the Commanders at the National Portrait Gallery’s 2022 Portrait of a Nation Gala that month.

“I can’t talk about it,” Bezos said then. During a televised interview with CNN around the same time in which he was seated alongside his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, Bezos said: “There’s not much I can say about that right now. But she does like football.”

It is not clear when the bidding process will be completed. Some of those connected to the process have rejected characterizations that the late-December target for bids requested by the investment bank was a firm deadline, saying the process is more fluid. That makes it difficult for other bidders to know whether Bezos is involved or not, or if he still could become more engaged. Front Office Sports reported Bezos’s lack of a bid Sunday.

The Commanders have said that Snyder and his wife Tanya, the team’s co-CEO, hired BofA Securities, a division of Bank of America, to consider potential transactions for the franchise. The Commanders have not specified whether the Snyders intend to sell all or part of the franchise. Four people familiar with the process said recently they believe a full sale is the most likely outcome. All spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the level of secrecy surrounding the deliberations being conducted by Bank of America.

In a public filing in November related to the incorporation process with the registrar of companies for England and Wales, the Snyders listed England as the country or state of which they are “usually” a resident. Daniel Snyder did not attend the Commanders’ season-ending game Jan. 8 against the Dallas Cowboys at FedEx Field, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

ank hired by Daniel Snyder moves forward on sale process for Commanders

Any sale of all or part of the team would have to be ratified by at least three-quarters of the league’s other team owners, giving them a measure of control over Snyder’s choice of a buyer.

The NFL is conducting its second investigation of Snyder and the Commanders, a probe being overseen by attorney Mary Jo White. Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said in October that he and fellow owners should give serious consideration to voting to remove Snyder from ownership of the Commanders. That would require a vote of at least three-quarters of the owners. Multiple owners told The Post in September they believed that serious consideration would be given to attempting to oust Snyder from the NFL’s ownership ranks, either by convincing him to sell his franchise or by voting to remove him.

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform wrote last month in its final report on its Democratic-led investigation of the team’s workplace that Snyder “obstructed” the committee’s investigation and that he “permitted and participated” in “troubling conduct” in the team’s workplace. The report said Snyder gave evasive and “misleading” testimony to the committee in July.

The office of Karl A. Racine, then the Democratic attorney general of D.C., filed two civil lawsuits last year against the Commanders. Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D) fined the team $250,000 for improperly withholding security deposits from ticket holders through a settlement with the Commanders. Investigators for the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Virginia have interviewed witnesses about allegations of financial improprieties involving the team, according to multiple people familiar with the situation. The office of Virginia Attorney General Jason S. Miyares (R) also is investigating.

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Commanders fire offensive coordinator Scott Turner

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After another season in which Washington lagged on offense, the Commanders fired coordinator Scott Turner on Tuesday, ending his three-year run as play caller.

“I met with Coach Turner today and informed him that we will be moving in another direction,” Coach Ron Rivera said in a statement Tuesday. “… Unfortunately, we did not live up to the expectations and standard that I expected to see from our offensive unit. I felt it was best for a fresh start at the coordinator position heading into next year. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Scott and thanked him for his three years of service to our organization. I wish Scott and his family all the best in the future.”

The move is the first domino to fall after the Commanders’ failed playoff bid, but it may not be the last.

Turner reunited with Rivera in Washington in 2020 after Turner had a two-year stint as the Carolina Panthers’ quarterbacks coach. When Carolina let Rivera go, Turner stayed on as offensive coordinator for the final four games of the 2019 season.

Turner’s role in Washington was his first full-time job as a coordinator and came with high stakes. The franchise began a rebuild and a rebrand, and Turner game-planned for eight starting quarterbacks during his tenure.

Commanders players are frustrated with offensive play-calling

Over the past three seasons, Washington’s offense ranked near the bottom of the NFL in many statistical categories, including 27th in yards and red-zone efficiency, 28th in offensive scoring and 25th in third-down conversion rate. The team also has been a model of inefficiency, posting the fourth-worst total offensive expected points added and a turnover-per-drive rate that ranks fifth highest.

The son of former Washington coach Norv Turner, Scott Turner used the foundation of his father’s Air Coryell system, which typically features a vertical passing attack and a power running game. But in Washington, Turner not only cycled through an array of quarterbacks, he also worked with multiple offensive line iterations and was without running back Brian Robinson Jr. for five games this season.

“We didn’t do the things that we wanted to do this year,” Turner said last week. “… I’m accountable for that as much as anybody. … I think that there’s a lot of room to grow, and I look forward to working with these guys and continue to get better and keep improving and get this team where we want it to be.”

Washington’s struggles were connected to myriad factors, including inconsistency at quarterback. But the offense became a source of frustration in the locker room as nearly a dozen players shared their gripes about its predictability, its lack of production and certain calls that seemed to detract from the strengths of the team’s personnel.

In short, the players believed that, given the talent on the roster, they should be producing and winning more.

“We did a nice job getting into the red zone. We just got to convert with touchdowns,” tight end Logan Thomas said. “I think that was a little bit of our struggles. In the red zone, you got to be able to run the football for touchdowns. We got to be able to make plays. It stinks that we didn’t get the job done … because we have the talent.”

From Monday: Commanders players clean out lockers and await an offseason of uncertainty

The Commanders traded for Carson Wentz in March, believing his size and arm strength would stretch the field vertically. But they started 2-4 with Wentz under center, only to turn it around when Taylor Heinicke took over in Week 7 after Wentz was injured the week before.

By turning to the running game, the Commanders won six games in a seven-week span to put them in the playoff conversation before they came unglued in December. Washington went 1-3-1 in its final five games, its lone win coming in a meaningless season finale started by rookie quarterback Sam Howell, to tumble out of postseason contention as it finished 8-8-1.

“I thought we [found our identity in Week 10] when we won in Philadelphia,” left tackle Charles Leno Jr. said. “I felt like that was our identity. We started to get on a win streak after that, and at times we got away from that for whatever reason. I don’t know what the reason may be, but that’s not my job. I just got to go out and do mine.”

That identity is one Rivera and General Manager Martin Mayhew said they intend to get back to as they retool the roster again this offseason. In a wide-ranging end-of-season news conference Tuesday, held just hours before Turner was let go, the pair said they had intended for the offense to be a run-first system led by Robinson and Antonio Gibson.

“We did a lot of work on Carson,” Mayhew said. “We knew a lot about him — the good, the bad, the ugly. We thought he was a good fit for how we wanted to play football. We weren’t able to play the style of ball we wanted to play the first couple of games. … Didn’t have [Robinson], didn’t have the run game going the way that we wanted it going. We were 2-to-1 pass-run, which is not our formula. As you saw, this last game, we were 2-to-1 run-pass. … That’s how we want to play.”

Mayhew and Rivera said their emphasis on the running game is a philosophical belief rooted in their experience and is not a default approach because of inconsistent quarterback play.

“For me, it is. I’ve been involved with that,” Rivera said. “… We need to control the tempo of the game. I do believe in a two-back system. … We’ve got some talented positions, and we’ve got to be able to get the ball in those guys’ hands.”

The problem with that: Washington’s offense seemingly was constructed with a focus on the passing game. Not only did the Commanders trade for Wentz, they drafted a wide receiver, Jahan Dotson, in the first round.

“I thought last year we had a chance to take a step, and I do think we took a step,” Rivera said. “Am I disappointed we didn’t get in the playoffs? Darn right I am. We had an opportunity to control our own destiny, and we didn’t do the things that we needed to at the right time. But there were some things that we can’t control. So the best thing we can do is control what we can, and that’s the growth and development of our players.”

To stick with the run-first philosophy, Washington’s offseason priorities will include improving the interior of the offensive line, which endured a drop-off in play after parting with guards Brandon Scherff and Ereck Flowers a year ago.

On the other side of the ball, the Commanders hope to add youth and depth in the secondary and must consider the future of Daron Payne, one of their standout defensive tackles. The 2018 first-round pick will be a free agent in March if Washington doesn’t re-sign or franchise tag him. A long-term deal would force Washington to allocate even more salary cap resources to the defensive line; it already has paid fellow tackle Jonathan Allen and soon faces decisions on ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young.

“We’re working through that process now,” Mayhew said. “Daron is an important part of what we’re doing. … It’d be difficult to move forward without him, obviously. We have a plan, and we definitely want to get him back.”

The Commanders are operating with few guarantees.

In November, owners Daniel and Tanya Snyder announced they had retained a bank to “consider potential transactions” related to the team, and recent indications are that they plan to sell. But when they sell and to whom could have significant implications for the football side of the business.

Rivera said he plans to meet with ownership Monday.

“We’re going to do what we’re supposed to do as far as getting ourselves ready to go forward,” Rivera said. “We’ve got to look at what’s coming up in the draft, what’s coming up in free agency. We’ll look at what we have on our roster and finish those evaluations — finish the evaluations of myself, the staff and what we do.”

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Packers’ Aaron Rodgers Connection as Commanders Fire Scott Turner? Cowboys NFL Coach Tracker

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JAN 10 WASHINGTON FIRING The Washington Commanders are looking for a new offensive coordinator after firing Scott Turner on Tuesday.

Turner, 40, coordinated the Commanders offense for three seasons on Ron Rivera’s staff, but Washington finished 20th in total offense this season, averaging 330.3 yards per game.

There are a number of candidates who could be linked to the job, but perhaps the biggest name could be former Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett, who was fired on Dec. 26 after going just 4-11 through 15 games.

The big reason he was hired by the Broncos was his success in leading Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to an MVP award in 2021 in his age-37 season.

Rodgers is expected to be a free agent this offseason and could be looking for a change of scenery, especially after the Packers missed the playoffs with an 8-9 record.

It’s a longshot for Rodgers to move to Washington D.C. in 2023, but there was interest for him to come to the nation’s capital when he was mulling his future a year ago. But if he were to go, bringing along his former offensive coordinator could elevate the Commanders from a good team to one of the league’s elite.

Turner is of course the son of former Cowboys Super Bowl-winning coordinator and Washington head coach Norv Turner.

JAN 10: DQ RESPONDS, HARBAUGH VISITS The Dallas Cowboys finished the regular season with a disappointing 26-6 loss on the road to the Washington Commanders, but that hasn’t slowed the interest in league circles in Dan Quinn as a head coach.

But on Monday, Quinn himself “slowed” things just a bit.

“Anybody asks you, you’re flattered, …” Quinn said Monday inside The Star about the interview request from the Broncos. “So just right where my feet are and enjoying, and then we’re gonna (have) a kick-ass week.”

That is the Cowboys’ defense coordinator’s rather standard answer to such questions, but it is also the truth in how he conducts his business. Yes, Quinn is yet again a candidate for the Denver job, a vacancy he interviewed for a year ago before Denver ultimately chose Nathaniel Hackett. 

Meanwhile, the Broncos on Monday conducted a visit with Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. And Sean Payton remains high on their wish list.

JAN 9: KLIFF FIRED Last March, Texas native Kliff Kingsbury signed a six-year extension as the head coach of the Cardinals.

And now it’s over.

Kingsbury led the Cardinals to a record of 4–13, their worst record since Kingsbury arrived in Arizona, and now he’s been fired.

JAN 9 QUINN DENVER REQUEST  Dan Quinn and the Cowboys have received from Denver a request to interview the defensive coordinator, as first reported by NFL Network.

Quinn was a finalist for the same job a year ago. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has vowed to again keep Quinn working at The Star.

JAN 8 LOVIE OUT, EAGLES COACH IN? Houston Texans coach Lovie Smith has been fired, and sources tell us the Texans and Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will have mutual interest moving forward.

Smith finished 3-13-1 in his lone season in charge.

Several league sources have labeled Gannon as a top candidate for the Texans’ potential opening after he made a strong impression during two interviews last season before the Texans promoted Smith from defensive coordinator.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero are other highly regarded candidates.

JAN 8: QUINN VS. THE DENVER FIELD Sean Payton’s people have whispered that he’s not interested in the Denver Broncos. And Jim Harbaugh this week came right out and said he’s planning on staying at the University of Michigan.

Both were … um … fibbing. And what they actually decide to do figures to impact the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff, especially defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

Read all about it here.

JAN 8: LOVIE OUT? Sources tell us that coach Lovie Smith’s job security is considered to be in serious danger heading into the final game of another dismal season for the Texans. Furthermore, we are told Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and Houston would have mutual interest if the job comes open. Stay tuned …

JAN 8: PEES RETIRING? Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees is no stranger to hanging up the play sheet.

Pees, 73, is the NFL’s oldest coach and has twice retired, once following the 2017 season with the Baltimore Ravens before reversing course a month later and joining the Tennessee Titans, and again two years after, ultimately coming back to coaching after a season off once Arthur Smith took the head coaching job in Atlanta.

And if he retires again? Here’s the in-house list for the Falcons jump-up.

JAN 2: ‘DUMB’ MOVE – RON IN JEOPARDY? Cowboys at Commanders comes on the heels of this story: “Dumb’ Coach Ron Rivera Getting Fired by Dan Snyder?” This is worth monitoring … all because of a commitment to Carson Wentz.

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Commanders vs. Cowboys score: Live updates, game stats, highlights, analysis as Dallas vies for NFC East title

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We’re underway at FedExField, where the Cowboys are matched up with the Commanders looking to make a last-gasp leap over the Eagles in the NFC East. A win over Washington, coupled with a loss by Philadelphia against the Giants, would propel Dallas to the top of the division in Week 18. But the Commanders are looking to play spoiler themselves, with rookie Sam Howell taking over at quarterback for the first time this season.

Howell logged his first career touchdown pass to put Washington up early, and a Kendall Fuller pick-six extended the Commanders’ first-half lead, which stood at 13-7 going into the break. Is it possible Howell can really lead a surprise regular-season finale upset? Or is Dallas just too talented here, destined to ride into the postseason with its seventh win in eight games?

Either way, this one’s must-see TV, with lots of playoff implications. Stay tuned throughout the matchup for live updates and analysis.

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Commanders are eliminated, and Carson Wentz faces an uncertain NFL future

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Late Sunday afternoon, after a humiliating loss that effectively ended the Washington Commanders’ season, a few of the fans who stayed spied quarterback Carson Wentz running off the field. They sprinted down the steps of the lower bowl at FedEx Field to join a small crowd that had gathered above the tunnel to the locker room. They waited until Wentz got close.

Wentz didn’t look up. His expression didn’t change. But it was impossible for him not to have heard the crowd’s frustration in the 24-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. On the Commanders’ first drive of the day, Wentz threw an interception on his second throw, and fans broke into a chant for backup Taylor Heinicke. They did it at least four more times on the afternoon.

Commanders’ playoff hopes end following an ugly loss to the Browns

“It’s part of football,” Wentz said. “I’ve seen a lot in my seven years and experienced a lot. I get it. I didn’t have my best day today. I wish it would have [gone] differently. I feel like I let some of my teammates down there early in the game and put us in a hole a little bit. But that’s part of football.”

Did the chants affect him?

“[I] try not to [let them],” he said.

By many measures, this was Washington’s worst offensive performance of the season besides the 24-8 drubbing at Dallas in Week 4. It was a disastrous end to the bet Coach Ron Rivera made after a brief, promising showing by Wentz in last week’s loss at San Francisco. Against the Browns, the quarterback finished 16-for-28 passing (57.1 percent) for 143 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. He also took three sacks, all of which took 2.4 seconds or longer, according to the website TruMedia.

“I thought he had his moments,” Rivera said, pointing out the team put together a 21-play, 96-yard drive before halftime to score its only touchdown. He noted that Wentz needed to throw the ball earlier on his first interception and he needed more zip on the second.

“He held the ball a couple times when he probably could have gotten it out and probably should have gotten it out,” Rivera added. “We’ve just got to continue to work on that.”

In the opposing locker room, the Browns seemed unsurprised by Wentz’s struggles. Several defenders, including end Jadeveon Clowney and linebacker Reggie Ragland, said they preached all week that stopping the run on first and second down would force Wentz to throw on third and long, a situation in which he struggles.

Cleveland, which has one of the NFL’s worst run defenses, mostly executed the plan. Washington struggled to be better than average running the ball on early downs, and even though it faced plenty of manageable third downs — the average distance to convert was 6.1 yards, its fifth shortest of the year — the Browns’ pass rush battered Wentz and seemed to affect his decision-making.

“Once we get him rattled in the pocket, it’s over,” Clowney said. “Coming in, we said, ‘If we can get him rattled, we can get some turnovers out of him.’ We knew that.”

Four takeaways from the Commanders’ 24-10 loss to the Browns

“If you know football, you know [Wentz] has a slow release, and you know Heinicke gets the ball out fast,” Ragland said. “Some of the guys I know on the team” — Ragland played college football at Alabama with Commanders wide receiver Cam Sims and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen — “they would’ve preferred Heinicke because they know he gets the ball out. You can see it on film, too, though. They play different with each quarterback.”

Browns defensive end Myles Garrett said that Wentz, who normally holds on to the ball too long, seemed to be doing so more Sunday because it was a part of the game plan. He pointed out the Commanders were in formations meant to take deep shots and sometimes used two players to chip defenders, which slowed them getting out into their routes and limited Wentz’s check-down options.

“They wanted to get some plays down the field and some long-developing plays,” Garrett said. “I don’t think it was really [Wentz] holding it as much as he’s waiting for everything to develop in front of him.”

In the Commanders’ locker room, teammates defended Wentz. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin acknowledged it was “probably tough” for Wentz to hear chants for Heinicke, and tight end Logan Thomas said he didn’t feel as if he needed to say anything to Wentz because, as a former quarterback, he knew Wentz was plenty hard on himself.

“We can’t really blame [Wentz] for the performance,” running back Brian Robinson Jr. said. “We just didn’t have the energy we needed. … Overall, it was kind of dull. I don’t know where the energy came from, but it was definitely in the air, and you could feel it. I feel like that kind of affected his performance.”

Buckner: Ron Rivera returned to his offseason gamble. It cost his team the postseason.

The final drive — with an overthrow, a drop and two false start penalties — encapsulated the sloppiness of the Commanders’ offense. When the clock expired, Wentz walked through the Browns’ defense, shaking hands. He congratulated Garrett and Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson before taking a knee at midfield. Wentz, defensive end Chase Young, linebacker David Mayo and two Browns staffers knelt and held hands in a prayer circle.

No one talked about anything related to the game. They prayed for players’ health and for their families, “the truly important stuff in life,” Mayo said. The moment could’ve been Wentz’s last on the field as the Commanders’ starter.

All afternoon, it was difficult to ignore the echoes of Wentz’s past. Last season, needing a win to get into the playoffs, Wentz and the Indianapolis Colts collapsed in a 26-11 loss to the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars. This year, against another eliminated team, Wentz again delivered one of his worst performances.

“I wish the result was different. I wish we came out of here with a win,” he said. “But I don’t think about [last year]. It’s a completely new situation, new place, new everything — and I just wish it would have went different.”

After about a minute, Wentz rose from the prayer circle, scratched his beard and ran toward the tunnel — toward boos and an uncertain future.

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Carson Wentz is the Commanders’ starting QB; Taylor Heinicke to back him up

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Carson Wentz will, once again, be the Washington Commanders’ starting quarterback. He will take over for Taylor Heinicke for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, the Commanders announced Wednesday.

Wentz, who was sidelined after suffering a finger injury in Week 6, came off the bench in the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday and promptly led the Commanders on a scoring drive. Rivera said after the loss that he’d review the film and meet with his coaches to determine the best plan going forward with his quarterbacks. But it seemed apparent even then that sticking with Wentz, whom Washington acquired in a March trade, was the likely move.

How Commanders rookie Jahan Dotson reemerged as a menace to defenses

The quarterback change is Washington’s 10th since Rivera was hired in 2020, and it feels all too familiar, as Heinicke will again fill the backup role.

“It’s tough,” Heinicke said after the loss Saturday. “I’ve said this before: I try not to look at it. I just try to roll with the punches. If I’m starting, I’ll give it my all. If I’m not, I’m trying to be the best backup I can be. I’m going to continue to do that.”

Heinicke guided the Commanders to a 5-3-1 run this season, turning around their dismal start and putting them in playoff position. During that stretch, he completed 62.2 percent of his passes for an average of 206.6 yards, plus a 2.0 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 89.6 passer rating.

For three quarters against the 49ers, Heinicke played efficiently, completing 13 of 17 passes for 166 yards, zero turnovers, two touchdowns and a 145.7 passer rating. But two turnovers to start the fourth quarter, combined with two failed fourth-and-one attempts earlier in the game and two red-zone turnovers in Week 15 against the New York Giants, prompted Rivera to make a change late against the 49ers.

Brewer: The Commanders need a jolt at quarterback. Will Carson Wentz do?

Wentz took over with a little more than nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the Commanders trailing, 30-14. Washington went no-huddle, and Wentz passed on 10 of the 11 plays on his first drive, which included a 20-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Samuel.

Although the rally came up short, the minimal playing time both spotlighted Wentz’s strengths and raised questions about Washington’s plan going forward. With Heinicke, the team had shifted to a run-first identity, relying heavily on the production of backs Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson. It remains to be seen if Washington will keep a similar approach with Wentz as the starter or slip back into an offense that makes the passing game a focal point.

“The identity obviously has kind of evolved throughout the year, which has been cool to see and cool to see guys kind of fall into their own identity too within this offense,” Wentz said Saturday. “When I was in there, all bets were off. We had to go score.”

Wentz’s second shot as a starter also gives him an opportunity to do what he couldn’t last season. The Colts’ two losses to end their season kept them out of the playoffs and ultimately led to the trade of Wentz to Washington. Now, with the Browns and Dallas Cowboys awaiting, the Commanders need to win out to have the best chance of making the playoffs.

“It’s nice to still be in control of our destiny; you know the old cliche,” Wentz said. “But it’s real. It’s true. Obviously, coming off a couple tough ones, close ones, is tough, but at the same time, to have control of our destiny means a lot with where we started this year and everything we’ve gone through as a team.”

This story is developing and will be updated.

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Commanders restore Carson Wentz as starting QB vs. Browns

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The Washington Commanders have turned back to quarterback Carson Wentz in their fight for a playoff berth.

The team announced Wednesday that Wentz will start in place of Taylor Heinicke when the Commanders (7-7-1) host the Cleveland Browns (6-9) on Sunday.

Wentz had started the first six games this season before breaking his right ring finger in an Oct. 13 win over the Chicago Bears. He was placed on injured reserve and did not return to the active roster until Dec. 17. Heinicke started nine games, leading the team to a 5-3-1 record.

However, Washington has gone 0-2-1 in its past three games. Though they moved the ball well with Heinicke, the Commanders have ranked 26th in red zone offense and 20th in points per game over his eight full starts.

Wentz replaced Heinicke in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 37-20 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Wentz completed 12 of 16 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown.

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49ers report card: Grading offense, defense in 37-20 win vs. Commanders

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SANTA CLARA — Kyle Shanahan admitted he was frustrated that the 49ers were tied at halftime with the Washington Commanders on Saturday.

But the 49ers scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to begin to take control of a 37-20 victory at Levi’s Stadium.

The Commanders stayed around until the fourth quarter when the 49ers settled for three short Robbie Gould field goals.

“It should have been a lot worse than it was,” Shanahan said.

Still, the 49ers, the NFC’s No. 3 seed, made more than enough plays necessary for the decisive win over a team that is currently the No. 7 and final seed in the NFC playoffs. The Commanders (7-7-1) are a half-game ahead of Seattle and Detroit.

Here is a look at the 49ers’ report card from their Week 16 game:

Rushing offense

The 49ers were up against one of the top defensive lines in the NFL, and the Commanders were determined not to allow the 49ers to control this game on the ground.

Christian McCaffrey and Ty Davis-Price did not have much room to run against Washington’s stacked box, though the 49ers cracked through when wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud took a handoff on an orbit motion and picked up blocks from Mike McGlinchey, McCaffrey, Jauan Jennings and Willie Snead to turn the corner and race away for a 71-yard touchdown run.

McCaffrey finished with 46 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, while Davis-Price had 30 yards on nine attempts. McCloud’s touchdown run was his only carry of the day.

 

Grade: B

Passing offense

Brock Purdy continued to keep the 49ers rolling on Saturday with another strong showing. The rookie completed 15 of 22 pass attempts for 234 yards with two touchdown passes while throwing one interception and finishing with a passer rating of 114.6.

Purdy twice hooked up with tight end George Kittle on touchdown plays. The first one was a ball down the middle intended for McCloud, but Kittle changed his route to make the grab for a 34-yard touchdown in front of McCloud.

Later in the third quarter, Kittle turned a short Purdy pass into a 33-yard touchdown on the 49ers’ next drive.

Purdy threw an interception that was not his fault, as Jennings bobbled an on-target pass, allowing safety Darrick Forrest to make the interception.

Purdy converted a fourth-and-3 play late in the game with a throw to Kittle in a tight window.

Kittle had six receptions for 120 yards, while Brandon Aiyuk added 81 yards on five catches.

Grade: A

Rushing defense

The Commanders are a running team, but they could not find anywhere to go against the 49ers’ stout front seven.

That did not stop Washingon from trying, however, as they gained just 79 yards on 33 rushing attempts for a measly 2.4-yard average. The Commanders’ leading rusher, Brian Robinson, managed just 58 yards on 22 attempts.

Pro Bowl linebacker Fred Warner came through with 13 tackles, including tackles to stop two fourth-down attempts.

Grade: A

Passing defense

Defensive end Nick Bosa registered two sacks, setting a new career high with 17.5 to go along with four quarterback hurries, while also tallying another non-recorded sack to stop a two-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter.

Jimmie Ward had a fourth quarter interception 

The Commanders had some success in the passing game, however. Taylor Heinicke completed 13 of 18 for 166 yards with two touchdowns, while Carson Wentz was 12 of 16 for 123 yards and a touchdown.

Washington’s two quarterbacks had a combined passer rating of 115.9.

Grade: B-minus

Special teams

Robbie Gould was perfect on his three fourth-quarter field-goal attempts, but the highlight of this phase of the game was the 49ers’ coverage units.

San Francisco’s kick coverage unit was particularly strong, with George Odum having an incredible day with four tackles.

Washington had a 15.5 average on six kickoff returns.

Grade: A

Coaching

Shanahan was a bit more aggressive from the outset, going for it on a fourth-and-1 play in the first quarter, though the 49ers’ option attempt with Kyle Juszczyk at the point failed.

Late in the fourth quarter, Shanahan went for it on a fourth-and-3, and Purdy delivered with a completion to Kittle.

The 49ers pushed the right buttons offensively, including the run play to McCloud that broke a scoreless tie in the second quarter.

RELATED: How Shanahan hilariously used Deebo to fire up McCloud’s TD

The 49ers’ offense showed more vulnerability than it has in a while against an offense that’s not known for being prolific.

 

Grade: A

Overall

The Commanders have a playoff caliber defense, and the 49ers came through with a well-rounded game.

Players stepped up on offense, defense and special teams en route to San Francisco’s eighth consecutive win.

Grade: A-minus

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Prisco’s Week 16 NFL picks: Vikings edge Giants, 49ers roll over Commanders, Chiefs crush Seahawks

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Week 15 was not good to me with my picks. In fact, it was one of my worst weeks of the season.

Ouch.

So much for getting on a hot streak in the final month. But it’s Christmas week, which means the best present I can give you all is a bunch of winners — and that’s what I intend to do.

But first, a look back at last week’s disaster. I went 11-5 with my straight-up picks, 5-10-1 with my against the spread expert picks and 1-3-1 with my Best Bets as part of the Pick-Six podcast. PS: Two of my best bets were the Patriots — thanks crazy ending — and the Saints — thanks two-point conversion. 

That puts my records at 136-87-1 straight up, 101-114-9 ATS and 47-36-5 with my Best Bets.

With three weeks left, it’s time to pick it up. Or the coal is coming in my stocking.

Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET (Amazon Prime Video)

Featured Game | New York Jets vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

This is an enormous game in the AFC playoff picture. Jacksonville is riding high behind Trevor Lawrence, but the Jets defense has been outstanding. That will present a real problem for Lawrence. The Jacksonville defense has struggled, but Zach Wilson has as well. Look for Lawrence to get the best of it in the battle of 2021 high first-round quarterbacks. Jacksonville keeps pushing for the postseason with a victory.

Pick: Jaguars 24, Jets 20

Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox, fuboTV)

Featured Game | Baltimore Ravens vs. Atlanta Falcons

The Ravens could have Lamar Jackson back in this one. They need him in the worst way. The passing game is struggling. The Falcons have defensive issues, though, which could help. Desmond Ridder was just OK last week in his first start, and now faces a tougher defense. Ravens win it. 

Pick: Ravens 26, Falcons 13

Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox, fuboTV)

Featured Game | Carolina Panthers vs. Detroit Lions

This is an important game for both teams in terms of playoff implications. The Lions are playing consecutive road games, which will be a challenge. Carolina looked bad last week in losing to the Steelers. The Lions are a tough challenge for the Carolina defense, which will be the difference in the game. The Lions keep rolling. 

Pick: Lions 27, Panthers 17

Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS, Paramount+)

Featured Game | Chicago Bears vs. Buffalo Bills

The Bills are trying to lock up the top seed in the AFC playoffs, while the Bears are playing out the string. But the Bills play the Bengals next week after beating the Dolphins. This looks like a sandwich game. It won’t be. Josh Allen will put up a ton of points for the Bills as they keep rolling. 

Pick: Bills 37, Bears 21

Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS, Paramount+)

Featured Game | Cleveland Browns vs. New Orleans Saints

These two are alive in their playoff races, but neither can afford another loss. That makes this game a big one for both. The Browns haven’t been great on offense with Deshaun Watson back at quarterback, but this could be the game to get it going. Look for the Browns to win it. 

Pick: Browns 23, Saints 16

Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox, fuboTV)

Featured Game | Kansas City Chiefs vs. Seattle Seahawks

The Chiefs are winning games, but they have looked off the past few weeks. Seattle has also struggled the past few games. This is a must-win for them, but this is a tough place to play. Their defense has major issues, which will show up here as Patrick Mahomes lights them up. 

Pick: Chiefs 35, Seahawks 21

Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox, fuboTV)

Featured Game | Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants

The Vikings have clinched their division, while the Giants are playing for a wild card spot. The Giants are playing consecutive road games, while the Vikings got an extra day of rest. The Minnesota defense is a major issue, though, which is why the Giants will hang around in this one. It’s close, but the Vikings take it. 

Pick: Vikings 27, Giants 26

Cincinnati Bengals (-3.5) at New England Patriots 

Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS, Paramount+)

Featured Game | New England Patriots vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are playing consecutive road games, but the Patriots are stinging from a terrible loss last week to the Raiders. The Bengals have some defensive injuries, but the Patriots have issues on offense. Look for Joe Burrow to continue to play well as the Bengals win it. 

Pick: Bengals 30, Pats 17

Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS, Paramount+)

Featured Game | Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans

The Titans are in jeopardy of missing the playoffs if they don’t turn things around. The Texans have played much better in recent weeks, but this will be a challenge against a team that badly needs it. The Titans will right things here with a big showing by Derrick Henry. 

Pick: Titans 23, Texans 21

Saturday, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS, Paramount+)

Featured Game | San Francisco 49ers vs. Washington Commanders

This is a tough trip for Washington against a team that will have four extra days of rest. Washington is struggling on offense, which is never a good thing against a 49ers defense that is the best in the NFL. Look for that defense to shine again with Brock Purdy doing enough to win it.

Pick: 49ers 25, Commanders 14

Saturday, 4:25 p.m. ET (Fox, fuboTV)

Featured Game | Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles will likely be starting Gardner Minshew here for the injured Jalen Hurts. That changes the way they play offense. The Cowboys have looked bad the past two weeks on defense, but I think that changes here. They will get after Minshew with no threat of a quarterback run with him in the game. Cowboys win it. 

Pick: Cowboys 33, Eagles 25

Las Vegas Raiders at Pittsburgh Steelers (-3)

Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET (NFL Network, fuboTV)

Featured Game | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Las Vegas Raiders

This is another game featuring two teams that have small playoff hopes. The Raiders are coming off an amazing victory over the Patriots, while the Steelers handled the Panthers on the road. Kenny Pickett should be back for the Steelers here, which matters. Pittsburgh’s defense will get the best of Derek Carr. Steelers take it. 

Pick: Steelers 24, Raiders 16

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox, fuboTV)

Featured Game | Miami Dolphins vs. Green Bay Packers

The Packers are still alive after winning Monday night, but this is tough turnaround on a short week. The Dolphins have lost three straight, but they played better last week. This will be a shootout with the Packers keeping it close as Aaron Rodgers and Tua Tagovailoa put on a show. 

Pick: Dolphins 31, Packers 30

Sunday, 4:30 p.m ET (CBS, Nickelodeon, Paramount+)

Featured Game | Los Angeles Rams vs. Denver Broncos

This is a game many expected to be an important one, but instead it features two of the biggest disappointments of the year. Both teams have offensive issues. The Broncos have the better defense and Russell Wilson will be back. The Rams are also playing on a short week. But something says the Rams find a way to win it. 

Pick: Rams 21, Broncos 14

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC, fuboTV)

Featured Game | Arizona Cardinals vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

These two have major issues, but the Bucs are still in first place while the Cardinals are done. Arizona could be down to third-team quarterback Trace McSorley against a Bucs team that blew a big lead last week. Tom Brady has struggled, but I think he will play well here. Bucs take it. 

Pick: Bucs 24, Cardinals 20

Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN, fuboTV)

Featured Game | Indianapolis Colts vs. Los Angeles Chargers

The Colts are coming off a loss where they blew a 33-point lead, the type of loss that can send a team packing for the year. They also will be without running back Jonathan Taylor. The Chargers beat the Titans last week, but didn’t play well in doing so. They will here. Justin Herbert plays big to keep the Chargers on the path to playoffs. 

Pick: Chargers 30, Colts 20 

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Commanders sticking with Taylor Heinicke, may “have to think about” QB change at some point

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The Commanders lost ground in the playoff race when they lost to the Giants 20-12 on Sunday night and quarterback Taylor Heinicke‘s play in that game led to questions about his future as the team’s starter on Monday.

Heinicke was 17-of-29 for 249 yards and a touchdown, but lost a pair of fumbles and Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux returned one of them for a touchdown. The other fumble came in Giants territory and head coach Ron Rivera said after the game that “we can’t do that” while expecting to win games.

No quarterback change is coming ahead of this week’s game against the 49ers, however. On Monday, Rivera said that the team will “stick with Taylor and what we’re trying to establish” on offense while adding that a failure to improve on Sunday’s performance will lead him to consider making a change back to Carson Wentz.

“It is something to be quite frank, I do have to think about at some point,” Rivera said, via John Keim of ESPN.com. “But if we get back on track and play the way we’ve played and do the things we’ve done, then we’ll stick where we are.”

The Commanders were 2-4 before Wentz went on injured reserve and they’ve gone 5-2-1 with Heinicke running the offense, so there seems to be a clear answer about who has led the team to more success. With time running short on the season and little margin for error in the playoff hunt, the Commanders appear to be taking a shorter-term view of the situation.



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