The Washington Football Team quarterback carousel spun yet again this week as Head Coach Ron Rivera announced Kyle Allen will start Sunday against the Rams with Alex Smith the back up and former starter Dwayne Haskins falling to third string.
The move makes Allen the team’s 30th starting quarterback since 1993. Speaking to reporters after practice today, Rivera said a number of decisions factored into making this move. One of the biggest appears to be the fact that, at 1-3, Washington is in second place in the NFC with a favorable schedule in the coming weeks.
“We play four NFC games, three divisional games where we can make some hay,” Rivera said.” “I just felt that with the things that have gone on with Dwayne. Based on his development and where he is, we’re better off putting the ball in the hands of guys who know our system.”
In Allen, Rivera turns to a player who has been in his offensive system for three years. Allen started 12 games in place of an injured Cam Newton last year. He won his first four before dropping 7 of is last 8. He finished the season throwing for 3,222 yards, 17 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
The move comes with Haskins coming off the best game of his career, statistically. Against the Ravens he threw for 314 yards and did not throw an interception. However, Rivera has indicated he made the wrong decision on a crucial 4th down play late in the game near the goal line. That and the lack of development in other areas lead to the switch.
Currently, Philadelphia leads the division at 1-2-1. Dallas is tied with Washington at 1-3 but have major defensive issues giving up 126 points in the last three weeks. The Giants are 0-4 with a second year quarterback performing even worse that Haskins. Rivera said that, because of the unprecedented weakness in the division, the right move was to try and win now.
“This is not an indictment on Dwayne as much as it is the situation that we are in,” the coach said. “He did not have the benefit of OTA’s and mini camp. He didn’t have the benefit of four preseason games to work through things.”
The question that will remain unanswered for weeks, if not months, is whether this is the end of Haskins time in Washington. Supporters point to the fact that Haskins was drafted and pushed on a coach who did not want him his rookie year, inherited by a new coach who didn’t draft him and given a new offense to learn without an off season. Rivera stressed that the benching does not have to be the end.
“How he comes out on the other end of this, that’s up to him. He can come out of this stronger or not.” Rivera said.
Kickoff Sunday is 1pm at Fed Ex Field.