Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said he put Carson Wentz back in as the starting quarterback to provide a spark.
He probably did provide one. But it was for the opposition.
Wentz threw three interceptions and finished with a 31.4 passer rating as the Commanders lost to the Browns 24-10 on Sunday.
Wentz punched in a 1-yard touchdown near the end of the first half to cap a long 21-play, 96-yard drive that took 11:27 off the clock. But that was about the most positive thing that happened for the quarterback on Sunday.
He threw two first-half interceptions then a third toward the end of the game when the Commanders were down 14. He finished 16-of-28 passing for just 143 yards.
Washington averaged just 3.8 yards per play with Wentz behind center.
Though there were plenty of chants for Taylor Heinicke from the crowd, Rivera elected to stick with Wentz throughout the game.
On the other side, the Browns started the game unable to capitalize on red zone opportunities. Quarterback Deshaun Watson was just 3-of-8 passing for 28 yards.
But Cleveland scored touchdowns on three straight possessions to open the second half to seize control of the game. Watson connected with Amari Cooper for a 46-yard touchdown and Donovan Peoples-Jones for a 13-yard score in the third quarter.
Then midway through the fourth, Cleveland put the game away with Watson’s 33-yard touchdown pass to Cooper.
Watson was 6-of-10 for 146 yards with three touchdowns in the second half to finish 9-of-18 for 169 yards, good for a 122.5 passer rating. He also had 31 yards on eight carries.
Nick Chubb had 104 yards on 14 carries.
Washington had a chance to clinch a playoff position with a victory. But now at 7-8-1, they’ll need some significant help if they’re going to make it to the postseason. They’ll finish the regular season by hosting the Cowboys.
At 7-9, the Browns will finish the 2022 season with a game at Pittsburgh in Week 18.
