GREATER LANDOVER, Md. — After an embarrassing loss to the previously winless Chicago Bears on the national stage of Thursday Night Football, new part-owner of the Washington Commanders Earvin "Magic" Johnson did not pull any punches.
The basketball legend took to social media for a blunt analysis of the team's performance at FedEx Field.
"Tonight the Commanders played with no intensity or fire. We didn’t compete in the first half and got down 27-3 heading into halftime. It was too big of a hole to climb out of and that is why we ended up losing 40-20," Johnson said.
In the hours following his post, many fans praised Johnson for his honesty and insight. Many others called for Johnson to "clean house," by firing head coach Ron Rivera, along with Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio.
Rivera is in his final year of a four-year contract with the Commanders, making this season especially important for his future with the team. Now, fans say a new skipper should come sooner rather than later.
"Fans want changes now Magic. We know what is inevitable and we know what we've had in 4 years. Make the change man," said one commenter on Johnson's post.
"Thank you for the honesty magic. #FireRivera and make EB interim HC. This is year 4 of Ron and we’re going nowhere," another fan wrote.
The Commanders defense — supposedly a strength under head coach Rivera, a former Chicago linebacker, and coordinator Del Rio — was unable to do a thing to slow, let alone stop, Justin Fields and DJ Moore, and the Commanders fell into a 24-point halftime hole along the way to dropping their third game in a row, 40-20 to the Bears.
Washington has allowed at least 33 points in each of its last four games.
“It starts at the top,” Rivera said. “That's on me.”
How lopsided was this one at the get-go? In the first quarter alone, Chicago produced three plays longer than any they'd had all season: throws of 58 and 39 yards from Fields to Moore, and a 34-yard run by Khalil Herbert. Washington, in contrast, had two three-and-outs in that period.
Fields also connected with Moore for a 56-yard TD toss in the fourth quarter, sending spectators to the exits.
And how did Washington's offense do? By the time Sam Howell led the hosts to their initial first down, nearly 2 1/2 minutes into the second quarter, Chicago (1-4) was already ahead 17-0.
When asked about Johnson's comments, Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin called it “a pretty fair assessment.”
“It doesn’t matter what your intentions are. It’s what you put out there on the field. I know we don’t have a lazy bunch. I know we don’t have a non-intense group of guys,” McLaurin said. “That showing is not reflective of us, but that’s who we are — we put that on tape.”