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‘Riverboat’ Ron Rivera has a great nickname, but he’s not the gambler you think

New Washington Redskins coach Ron Rivera has embraced the “Riverboat Ron” nickname he earned for his aggressive fourth-down decision-making with the Carolina Panthers, though he prefers to be known more as a calculated risk-taker than a gambler. “Analytical Ron” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Early in his coaching career, Rivera was quite the opposite, and it led to calls for his job. In Week 2 of the 2013 season, Rivera’s third year at the helm of the Panthers, Carolina led Buffalo 20-17 with less than two minutes remaining. Facing fourth and one from the Buffalo 21-yard line, Rivera opted to kick a field goal to take a six-point lead. The decision was hardly surprising; since 2011, only one other NFL coach had gone for it fewer times on fourth down than Rivera. The Bills drove 65 yards for the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds, dropping Carolina to 0-2.

After the loss, the Charlotte Observer ran an online poll asking whether then-owner Jerry Richardson should fire Rivera immediately. Eighty-three percent of the respondents said yes.

Redskins to introduce Ron Rivera as head coach

Rivera’s transformation began the following week against the Giants. In the first quarter, on fourth and one from the New York 2-yard line, the Panthers went for it. Fullback Mike Tolbert scored a touchdown en route to a 38-0 Carolina win. Three weeks later, the Panthers converted a pair of fourth downs on an early touchdown drive in a 35-10 win at Minnesota.

ESPN’s David Newton, who helped coin the “Riverboat Ron” nickname after the win over the Vikings, asked Rivera a couple of days later whether, in hindsight, he would have gone for it on fourth down against Buffalo in Week 2.

“Which is the right call?” Rivera said with a smile . “The right call turns out to be one that you win with. If you win, it’s a great call.”

Good luck with that. pic.twitter.com/XUgR7Jdj8b — Josh (@GoldAndOrSmith) December 1, 2013

The Panthers won 11 of their last 12 games and converted 10 of their 13 fourth-down opportunities to close the season, resulting in an NFC South title.

“I needed to realize that playing conservative, playing close to the vest, playing by the book — sometimes you’ve just got to throw all that away,” Rivera told the Observer in 2014 .

But is Rivera truly a gambler on the gridiron? Not exactly.

The Panthers went for it on fourth down 123 times from 2011 to 2019, giving them just the 25th-most attempts in that span. The Redskins, by comparison, went for it 140 times in that same span. The average NFL team made nearly 137 fourth-down attempts.

The Panthers, though, were a winning team under Rivera, and so we can also look solely at fourth-down decisions in the first three quarters when the score was within eight points — eliminating obvious catch-up situations. In those situations, the Panthers went for it on fourth down 36 times from 2011 to 2019. Nine teams went for it more often in similar situations.

Brewer: Ron Rivera is traditional, hard-nosed and just what the Redskins need

Carolina was, however, one of the most successful teams when it gambled, converting 78 percent of its score-neutral fourth-down opportunities. Only the Kansas City Chiefs had more success moving the chains during that nine-year window, converting 81 percent of their score-neutral fourth-down chances. Like Rivera said, “If you win, it’s a great call.”

In fact, since that 2013 campaign, Rivera has gone for it on fourth down in score-neutral situations only 23 times, a below-average rate for the years 2014 to 2019 and just a few tries fewer than his new team attempted. (The Redskins went for it 20 times in those situations; the Ravens led the NFL with 53 score-neutral fourth-down attempts).

If you make one more adjustment and isolate only those score-neutral situations in which Rivera found himself in his own territory — true riverboat territory — he went for it on fourth down only four times in nine seasons. (The Ravens led the NFL with 11 attempts in those situations, and the Cowboys were next with 10.)

It was a similar story in the playoffs: Rivera went for it only seven times in seven postseason games, and just two of those were in the first three quarters with the score within eight points. None of them were with the Panthers bogged down in their own territory. Playoff teams as a whole went for it 206 times on fourth down (all situations) over 176 playoff games from 2011 to 2018, which averages to just over one attempt per game, slightly more often than Rivera.

But the nickname persisted, and Rivera occasionally did enough to justify it. In November, for example, Rivera’s Panthers had two fourth-down conversions in a 30-20 win over the Titans, including one on fourth and four from their own 36-yard line.

“I just felt we needed a little momentum,” Rivera told reporters of his decision to go for it in a situation when most NFL coaches would punt. “Sure, we had a 10-point lead, but they’d just gone down and scored on us, and that was disappointing to me. But I just felt, sometimes you just can’t measure those things with numbers. There’s a feel in the game, and it’s just one of those things I felt we had to do something.”

Read more on the Redskins :

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After a decade of change everywhere but the top, Redskins finally move on from Bruce Allen

From ‘winning off the field’ to ‘damn good’ culture: Bruce Allen’s Redskins tenure in quotes

Svrluga: With Bruce Allen gone, Daniel Snyder has no more excuses

Why is Ron Rivera called Riverboat Ron? Explaining the origin of Commanders coach’s nickname

After spending more than 25 years on an NFL sideline, Ron Rivera has made a name for himself in the coaching ranks. Over the course of his 13 years as a head coach, Rivera’s earned a nickname for himself, too.

Rivera, a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year who recently surpassed the 100-win plateau, has become a household name in coaching thanks to his time as the lead man in Carolina and Washington. As evidenced by his resume, Rivera has done his fair share of winning during his career, but the manner in which he’s done his winning is what became the stuff of legends.

Since the 2013 NFL season, Rivera has been known as “Riverboat Ron,” a nickname that he once decried before eventually embracing it. The nickname and the philosophy that inspired it have turned around seasons, resulted in hilarious memes and very well may have saved RIvera’s coaching career.

The Sporting News looks back at the origins of Rivera’s “Riverboat Ron” nickname. 

Why is Ron Rivera called Riverboat Ron?

Rivera’s nickname is related to riverboat gambling. The gambles, or risks, Rivera has taken in fourth-down situations as a head coach are similar to that of a gambler, earning him the moniker of “Riverboat Ron.”

The nickname is situational as it is almost exclusively employed when Rivera has his team go for it on fourth down or take another calculated in-game risk. It can also work against his favor when he elects not to take a risk, like Washington’s decision to opt for overtime and not go for a two-point conversion to defeat defending NFC champion Philadelphia in Week 4 of the 2023 season.

MORE:  Ron Rivera explains why Commanders played for OT in loss vs. Eagles

How Ron Rivera got his Riverboat Ron nickname

Rivera earned the nickname during his third season as head coach of the Panthers. The nickname itself actually stems from the way Rivera responded to something he didn’t do.

After two losing seasons, Rivera was on the hot seat early in the 2013 campaign. In the second game of the season, one sequence seemingly changed everything about Rivera’s approach.

The Panthers, who had already lost their season opener, had the ball and a 20-17 lead over the Bills late in the fourth quarter of Week 2. As Carolina faced a fourth-and-1 from Buffalo’s 21-yard line, Rivera elected to play it safe by kicking a field goal to give his team a 23-17 lead with 1:38 remaining. The Bills responded with an 80-yard drive, scoring the game-winning touchdown with two seconds remaining to knock Carolina to 0-2 on the season.

Playing conservatively led to the loss and an epiphany in traffic let Rivera know that something had to change.

Fast forward to Week 6, when the Panthers visited the Vikings. Carolina was 1-3 and Rivera’s seat was hotter than it had ever been. In the first quarter, Rivera’s team went for — and converted — two fourth downs on its first scoring drive of the game. Carolina would earn a 35-10 win over Minnesota.

And thus, “Riverboat Ron” was born.

Rivera was reluctant to accept the nickname at first but as the risks continued to pay off and the wins continued to stack, he warmed up to the moniker, which took a life of its own when Rivera was hilariously photoshopped  as a riverboat gambler.

Carolina’s Week 6 win over Minnesota was the first of eight consecutive wins in a season where the team finished 12-4 and earned its first NFC South championship in five years. The team finished the season going 10 of 13 on fourth downs, including a near-perfect 8 of 9 mark on fourth-and-1.

Ten years later, it’s clear that the nickname has stuck.

Ron Rivera’s fourth down success

Since taking over as Washington’s head coach in 2020, Rivera has had his team go for it on fourth down a total of 80 times (through Week 5 of the 2023 season.) In the time span, Washington has converted on 42 fourth downs, a 52.5 percent rate.

This season , the Commanders are 3 of 4 (75.0 percent) on fourth down.

Ron Rivera’s other nicknames

Long before he was known as “Riverboat Ron,” Rivera was affectionately referred to as “Chico” while playing with the Bears.

As the story goes, Rivera, a serviceable linebacker, earned the nickname from defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, who likened Rivera to actor Freddie Prinze’s character in “Chico and the Man.”

Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera earns…

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Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera earns ‘Riverboat Ron’ nickname

The 1-3 Panthers were looking at a dismal season when Rivera took his gamble. In an October game against the Minnesota Vikings, twice on the same drive Rivera had the Panthers go for it on fourth-and-1 rather than kick a field goal.

Both plays succeeded — the second was a touchdown — leading to a 35-10 victory that helped turn their season around. The Panthers have won 11 of their past 12 games, and Sunday they host the 49ers in an NFC divisional game. A win, and Carolina will be a step closer to the second Super Bowl in the franchise’s 19-year history. The Panthers lost the Super Bowl to New England in the 2003 season.

As it turns out, the roots of Rivera’s gambling ways sprouted in Berkeley.

Rivera was at Cal in 1983, playing for coach Joe Kapp. The Bears had just kicked a field goal against Texas A&M in the final minute to break a 17-17 tie, but Kapp took the points off the board when the Aggies were penalized. On the next play, Cal fumbled the ball away inside the 5.

One play later, Rivera, then an All-America linebacker, tackled a Texas A&M runner in the end zone for a safety, and Cal won 19-17.

“Ron Rivera saved the day,” Kapp told this newspaper this week. “A coach’s goal is to prepare a player to succeed, and he’s really succeeded.”

Rivera, who played at Seaside High before coming to Cal, credits Kapp for much of his success. During a Wednesday conference call, Rivera said, “Joe Kapp has always been a huge influence in my life.”

“Ron was quiet,” Kapp said, “but his personality was always that of a leader. No one thought Carolina would do that much this year, but he’s got them right there.”

The Panthers are a young team, and Rivera, who interviewed nine times for NFL head-coaching jobs before landing in Carolina in 2011, has always been one to show the kids how it’s done.

Bill Cooper, who coached linebackers at Cal under Kapp, said he didn’t know Rivera would end up coaching. But Cooper did know that Rivera would work well with the younger set, no matter what he did.

“I know he had a real affinity for kids,” Cooper said. “I know because I saw how good he was baby-sitting my son. Kevin grew up idolizing everything Ron Rivera did, on the field and off. Ron was always fully aware of the whole team concept and how he was a part of it. I think he’s taken that into his role as the head coach.”

Another Rivera strength is his ability to separate what he can control from what he can’t.

A few hours after the Panthers fell to 0-2 on Sept. 15 with a one-point loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Charlotte Observer newspaper ran a poll asking fans if team owner Jerry Richardson should fire Rivera. At that point, the Panthers were 13-21 in Rivera’s two-plus seasons.

Eighty percent of the readers answering the poll supported getting rid of the former Cal star.

A month later, Riverboat Ron was born during that thrashing of the Vikings.

“We are doing the things we need to do to play winning football,” Rivera said. “We’ve been very consistent and relatively disciplined. We’ve had four fourth-quarter winning drives. That’s something we haven’t done in the past.”

They’re doing it now, getting their direction from Riverboat Ron, who’s become quite the gambler.

Follow John Hickey on Twitter at twitter.com/JHickey3 .

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'So why did I choose the Redskins?' Real talks with Dan Snyder reveal why Ron Rivera made this big gamble

Ron Rivera made it clear he didn’t need the money, nor did he need just any job.

After 34 years coaching, and four torturous weeks of unemployment, the veteran coach knew exactly what he wanted. Or better yet, who.

The Washington Redskins — an organization that has become synonymous with dysfunction and disarray — are now his personal reclamation project.

“There are only 32 of us at any given time, and these jobs are scarce,” Rivera said Thursday, at his introductory news conference. “The Washington Redskins, this one’s special.”

“Riverboat Ron” just made his biggest gamble. And for the sake of his reputation, one hopes he’s right.

The franchise ushered in a new day, unveiling Rivera as its new head coach in front of a jam-packed room featuring his newly hired defensive coordinator, Jack Del Rio, current and past Redskins players as well as team executives. Team owner Dan Snyder proudly stepped behind the lectern to announce this new era in Ashburn will be run much differently. It will begin with only one voice: Rivera’s.

The longtime coach chose to bet on himself, as any self-assured and self-respecting person would. Where others have failed — gifted minds like Joe Gibbs, Marty Schottenheimer and Mike Shanahan — Rivera is confident he will succeed.

“I believe in me,” said the coach, who turns 58 next week.

Though he repeatedly used the word “collaborative” during his introduction,

Rivera will be the focal point of authority. Praised as the ultimate locker room leader, he’ll bring a player-centric approach, one that entails a commitment to teaching players how to be better performers on the field and better men off of it. Accountability will be key. Having high standards is non-negotiable.

With this new position comes plenty of responsibility: Finding the right men to groom Dwayne Haskins Jr . into the franchise quarterback he was drafted to be, retooling a roster comprised of “raw talent” and “solid veteran leadership,” and facilitating a reunion with disgruntled offensive tackle Trent Williams .

This role also comes with a heavy burden of bringing respectability back to the Redskins. And that entails keeping Snyder out of his way.

Rivera is enamored with the history of the organization, which was established in 1932. He respects its past greatness as well as the players and coaches who have worn burgundy and gold before him. But these are not the ’Skins of old.

Despite Snyder’s deep affection for his beloved team, his poor leadership over the past 20 years has paved the way for Washington’s sad descent toward irrelevancy. He enabled the decision-making of former team president Bruce Allen for a decade and stood silently by as Allen declared three months ago that the organization had a “damn good” culture.

Snyder’s fingerprints are all over the mess the Redskins have become . But his hope is that Rivera can salvage the wreckage and eventually build a championship-caliber team.

In nine seasons with the Panthers , Rivera compiled a 76-63-1 record and twice was named NFL Coach of the Year. Most impressive of all: He has reached the Super Bowl.

With all of those accolades and with all of his experience, Rivera knew he had one pressing question to answer first.

“So why did I choose the Redskins?” he asked with a smile. “I can tell you right now it's not the money. If I wanted the money, I’d still be out there right now trying to pit a couple teams against each other.”

He said he took the job for “one simple reason.” Over “30-35 hours” of honest, self-reflective dialogue with Snyder, the owner expressed a desire to do things differently and he expressed an understanding of what sustains winning franchises like the Patriots , the Seahawks and the Chiefs. “Not an owner-centered approach or a team president or a GM, but a coach-centered approach,” Rivera explained.

In turn, the coach requested one condition from his soon-to-be boss.

“It would have to be a player-centered culture, something I truly do believe in,” Rivera said. “My response is to get the most out of the players, to work with them, to teach them, mentor them. If I have to do it one-by-one, I will most certainly will do it. … I was fortunate to have that in Carolina and I’ll work to have it here in Washington.”

He’s an old-school guy who preaches hard work and accountability, and also demands the most out of those around him. But during his time with the Panthers, he showed that he will defend his players like kin. Case in point: Quarterback Cam Newton .

That bodes well for Haskins, the inexperienced but raw-talented quarterback the Redskins drafted in the first round despite the wishes of Gruden. “I think he can become a franchise-style quarterback,” Rivera said. “… He’s going to have to step up and become a leader. All the great ones have become leaders and they’ve become leaders whether they’re rookies or they’re 10-, 12-year vets.”

Rivera believes there are foundational pieces already here. That’s why, instead of taking a year-long sabbatical or waiting to see how how the Giants’ and Browns’ coaching situations played out, he instead became intrigued by the prospect of coaching in Washington. His interest was piqued when Snyder reached out to his agent shortly after his dismissal from Carolina and over the course of their “in depth” conversations, the veteran coach knew for certain that this is where he belongs.

Now, all he has to do is cleanse the culture Snyder helped taint.

“This is the beginning of a great new year for the Redskins’ organization and its fans,” the owner said, after curiously wishing his audience, “Happy Thanksgiving.”

“… What the Redskins have needed is a culture change. Someone that can bring a winning culture to our organization. And it starts and ends with our head coach. When looking for that man, I look for a class act. And that’s how you describe Coach Rivera.”

In many ways, Rivera is everything Snyder isn’t. And that fact may very well save this franchise.

Hopefully, for Rivera’s sake, this gamble will be worth it in the end.

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'Riverboat Ron' trademark coming?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The "Riverboat Ron" nickname has become so popular that Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera and his wife are looking for ways to use it to raise money for local charities.

They may even have it trademarked.

"It's unbelievable,'' Rivera said. "This thing has taken on a mind of its own. It's kind of gone all over the place, and it's one of those things that the moniker is what it is as far as trying to describe some of the decisions I've made.

"I kind of look at what I've done as just calculating it. But I will say this: My wife and I are going to try to figure out a way to use it to help benefit some of these charities out here that we work with. We've got to just keep rolling with it, I guess."

Rivera was statistically one of the most conservative coaches in the NFL when it came to gambling on fourth down the past two seasons. He was criticized publicly for opting to kick a field goal that extended the Panthers' lead to six instead of going for it on fourth-and-1 at the Buffalo 21 with 1:42 remaining in the teams' Week 2 game. The Bills won 24-23, driving 80 yards to score a touchdown with two seconds left.

Since then, Rivera has been successful on 9 of 11 fourth-down plays. The Panthers (9-3) are 8-for-8 on fourth down during their league-best eight-game winning streak that has set up a Sunday night road game against the New Orleans Saints (9-3) for the NFC South lead. Rivera was dubbed "Riverboat Ron'' after showing the instincts of a gambler when he successfully went for it on fourth-and-1 twice on Carolina's first possession in a 35-10 victory at Minnesota on Oct. 13.

The nickname took on a new life after a Nov. 10 win at San Francisco. Jim Kennedy, a graphic artist from Raleigh, N.C., posted online a picture of Rivera as a riverboat gambler.

The picture showed him wearing dark sunglasses, a black Panthers cowboy hat and a blue Panthers jacket with a black vest and tie. In one hand he is holding a cigar; in the other are playing cards. In the background is a picture of Bank of America Stadium and the words "Riverboat Ron."

Kennedy initially posted it to a Panthers fan page. Rivera's daughter, Courtney, then posted it on Instagram and later turned it into a Twitter post.

She wrote: "I honestly could not resist. apparently this is a thing now. panther fans have given dad a new nickname and have even made photo edits! #isthisreallife #riverboatron #panthers #omg #peoplegottoomuchtime.''

Rivera didn't care for the nickname initially but embraces it now.

Asked whether he might trademark the name in his effort to use it for charity, Rivera smiled and said, "That's not a bad idea.''

"It's been good,'' he added. "It's kind of taken a life of its own, so if we can use it to do something good, we certainly will.''

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Ron Rivera joins Twitter, embraces 'Riverboat' nickname

Ron rivera joined twitter on monday, embracing his "riverboat ron" nickname..

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It's not usually news when someone joins Twitter. But it is news when a guy like Panthers coach Ron Rivera hops on the social media network and embraces a nickname he's pushed back on in the past.

Yes, America, rejoice and behold: RIVERBOAT RON LIVES.

Hey #Panthers fans, please welcome head coach Ron Rivera ( @RiverboatRonHC ) to twitter! — Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) July 21, 2014

Thus far, Rivera's just tweeted a pair of links to a "Make a Wish" feature Cam Newton 's involved in. There's no telling how active he'll actually be once he gets rolling.

But the crazy thing is he's embracing the "Riverboat Ron" nickname. Rivera previously pushed back a bit on the nickname; he's said he prefers something a little less crazy.

Good luck with that. pic.twitter.com/XUgR7Jdj8b — Josh Gold-Smith (@GoldAndOrSmith) December 1, 2013

Rivera reiterated his preference for a less wild nickname even after he analytically gambled his way into multiple Coach of the Year awards in 2013 .

Something must've changed, because it appears Rivera's on the Riverboat bandwagon now.

Look out, world.

Riverboat Ron has a one question for Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. pic.twitter.com/HFOvzKfsxQ — ryan wilson (@ryanwilson_07) November 19, 2013

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Does Washington's 'Riverboat Ron' Understand Analytics?

• Author: Mike Fisher

Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera received the nickname “Riverboat Ron” during his time with the Carolina Panthers . Whether he was/is truly a "gambler'' by nature is subject to debate ... but all it takes is one "go-for-it'' moment, a nickname in a headline ... and then the subject himself (Rivera) embracing it ...

And "Riverboat Ron'' it is.

The smartest coaches, of course, don't just "gamble.'' It's about "calculated gambles,'' decisions arrived at by both taking the temperature of a given situation and consulting the advanced-analytics probabilities in that situation.

Rivera's first big "Riverboat'' decision in Washington during his first season here arrived in October against the New York Giants . The WFT scored a TD with less than a minute left, cutting the New York lead to one.

Kick it to go to OT?

Or go for the win?

Washington opted for the latter. Washington was unsuccessful. Washington lost the game.

Is there a "perfect right answer''? No, because that "probability chart'' cannot possibly take into account factors like momentum, injuries, weather, confidence ... or maybe a coach and his players believing they have an ideal play for an ideal circumstance against an ideal defense.

The subject popped up again recently when Rivera guested on the “Rich Eisen Show” as the subject of analytics was broached.

And "Riverboat Ron'' seemed to not grasp the numbers.

READ MORE:  New Nickname? Washington Football Team Asks For Fan Input

“I have had situations where when we’ve gone for it with the analytics, and it didn’t (work) out,” Rivera said. “And I’ve been told, ‘Hey, that’s OK, you did what the analytics said.’ And, to me, I struggle with that, because if I do what analytics said and it says, 'Nine times out of 10, you are gonna complete it,' there’s that one time out of 10 you don’t.”

Wait. What?

Ron tried again ...

"How do you know if you’re going to be that one time out of 10 that isn’t successful? There is no guarantee; you can tell me all you want, 'That’s 99 percent.' Hey, that’s good, yeah, but (what) if you’re that 1 percent? What’s that one time it doesn’t work?''

Here's hoping that Rivera - who we find to be a bright person, risk-taker or not - has a better mastery of numbers than he demonstrates here. Because, yes, factors like momentum, injuries, weather and confidence should all be considered, tossed into the same gumbo pot as analytics.

But if the analytics tell you to do something "99 percent'' of the time? That's no "gamble.'' Aboard the ol' riverboat, that's pretty much called "a sure thing.''

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'Riverboat Ron' Rivera embracing nickname at Kentucky Derby

Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera hasn't always been fond of his nickname, "Riverboat Ron," but for one of the biggest gambling events known to sports, he's ready to have some fun.

Rivera got the nickname for his reputation as a riverboat gambler after displaying a risky style of play-calling early in his career.

All in @KentuckyDerby w/ @CoachRiv2 pic.twitter.com/kNENq28o7H — Ron Rivera (@RiverboatRonHC) May 7, 2016

Wanted to give a S/o to @camhatsNYC for the custom #riverboat hat! 👍🏼 pic.twitter.com/X2267qNP12 — Ron Rivera (@RiverboatRonHC) May 7, 2016

Lots of #PantherNation fans @KentuckyDerby today so this wave is 4 all y'all👋🏼 pic.twitter.com/0PGAQuK3JA — Ron Rivera (@RiverboatRonHC) May 7, 2016

Ron Rivera doing his best @cameronnewton impression #DerbyDay #kyderby pic.twitter.com/kQY3HF14YW — NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 7, 2016

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The Commanders Need a Real Riverboat Ron

Photo : Mitchell Leff

The Washington Commanders dropped their third game in a row after getting rolled by the formerly winless Chicago Bears last night and Doug Gottlieb thinks HC Ron Rivera may have lost that game before kickoff. Doug talks about turning points in seasons and believes HC Ron Rivera’s conservative play calling in their overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles from the week before set his squad down a path that may just wreck their chances to make the playoffs this year. The nickname “Riverboat Ron” has always been ironic considering Rivera’s history of conservative decisions, but he may need to embrace that moniker and start taking more risks if he wants to prove to his team that he believes in them.

Doug Gottlieb: “He had two weeks in a row of being conservative, and he’s paid the price for both of them. And I think last week’s played into this week’s, and I think losing those two games hurts them going forward...the season appears lost based upon his decision to not go for it last week.”