Alex Smith: Ron Rivera 'Absolutely Driving the Bus Over' Carson Wentz With QB Remarks

Former Washington Commanders quarterback Alex Smith responded to head coach Ron Rivera after he blamed Carson Wentz for the team's 1-4 start.

"Quarterback," Rivera said Monday about why his team is lagging behind in the NFC East. "The truth is, this is a quarterback-driven league. And if you look at the teams that have been able to sustain success, they've been able to build it around a specific quarterback."

Smith, who now works as an NFL analyst for ESPN, responded on the Monday Night Football telecast.

"I had a really hard time watching that," he said. "When I heard it, I couldn't believe it. I'm not here to defend Carson Wentz. He's had a tumultuous career and ups and downs. But this is a defensive head coach that's absolutely driving the bus over his quarterback."

Wentz, who was acquired in a March trade with the Indianapolis Colts, has failed to impress across his first five appearances with the Commanders.

The 2017 Pro Bowl selection has completed 62.9 percent of his throws for 1,390 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. He ranks 24th in ESPN's Total QBR (38.2) and has compiled a lackluster 64 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

"I've definitely missed some throws and missed some reads," Wentz told reporters last week. "We're all still growing and learning together. I have a ton of confidence that we'll keep getting better and keep seeing the explosiveness that we can be."

Yet quarterback play has been far from the only area of concern. Washington ranks tied for 24th in yards per carry (3.9), has allowed the third-most sacks (20), rates tied for 26th in scoring defense (25.6 points allowed per game) and has forced just one turnover in five games.

So falling toward the bottom of the standings has been a collective effort, and that's the point Smith was trying to make with his criticism of Rivera's remarks.

"The blame has got to be spread around," Smith said. "This is a team sport. It is the ultimate team sport. How can a head coach stand up there in front of the media and utter one word, and it's 'quarterback?'"

The Commanders, who've compiled a 15-23 record since Rivera took over in 2020, are already running out of time to turn things around if they want to make a playoff push.

It's likely going to take at least a 9-8 mark to reach the postseason, which means Washington would need to go 8-4 over its remaining 12 games. That's doable, especially with a favorable schedule, but the play must improve across the board in the near future.

Up next for Wentz, Rivera and Co. is a trip to Solider Field to face off with the Chicago Bears (2-3) on Thursday night.