The New York Giants found themselves alive in the NFC East race heading into the very last game of the regular NFL season on Sunday night. To advance beyond the regular season, the Giants needed the Philadelphia Eagles to beat the Washington Football Team.
However, the Eagles basically handed the game to Washington since Philadelphia, already resting eight of their starters on their depth chart had nothing to gain by winning their season finale. Since it seemed as if the Eagles intentionally threw the game, whether they violated the game’s integrity is currently up for debate among NFL players, and fans.
Washington head coach Ron Rivera did not see any wrongdoings in head coach Doug Pederson and the Eagles, and he is not apologizing for winning the game.
“Well, honestly and truthfully, it honestly doesn’t matter. You play whoever is out there. I’m not going to apologize for winning. Apparently, that’s what everybody wants me to do is apologize for winning. I’m not going to. You play the game as it’s set up. Nobody complained when Pittsburgh did what they did last night against Cleveland. I mean, come on. This is just the way it is,” Rivera said to reporters on Monday.
The fact that Rivera referenced the Pittsburgh Steelers in his statement will generate controversy as well. Earlier on Sunday, the Steelers started Mason Rudolph in their season finale, where the No. 2 seed was in play. In that game, the Cleveland Browns beat Pittsburgh and clinched a playoff berth, but the Steelers throwing the game was at the Miami Dolphins’ expense.
The Dolphins needed a win against Buffalo Bills or a Cleveland, Indianapolis or Baltimore loss to earn a spot in the playoffs. The Dolphins lost to the Bills, and none of those other teams lost as Miami missed the playoffs, ending the season with a 10-6 record.
