Greetings from The Booth!
For fans of the Cowboys and whatever you want to call the Washington football franchise (a lot of Redskins swag is still being worn at Northwest Stadium), it’s Dallas Week, which hasn’t meant as much in the last 20 years. But, with the recent success and relevance of the Commanders, a new shot of life has been injected into the rivalry, especially for the burgundy and gold. Going into today’s Cowboys-Commanders clash in DC, there is somewhat of a role reversal between the two teams.
Under new ownership, front office leadership (and competence), and new head coach Dan Quinn, not to mention exciting young quarterback Jayden Daniels, 7-4 Washington is in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt, and if the season ended today, would be playing postseason football. Gone is the clown show culture of Dan Snyder and emotion-less, out-of-touch head coach Ron Rivera (“oh, we can be eliminated?”), replaced by a fun, almost college-like vibe under Quinn.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, are in free fall. Dallas sits at 3-7, and are on track for their worst season in 35 years. Owner Jerry Jones is the subject of national ridicule, quarterback Dak Prescott is lost for the season after signing an historic contract going into 2024, star receiver Cee Dee Lamb has been injured in recent weeks, and head coach Mike McCarthy is on the hot seat. Things are not well in Big D.
All the more reason to be worried. I take you back to 1991, when the 11-0 Washington Redskins were derailed by a Dallas team that was barely above .500 and coming off two consecutive losses. The 24-21 loss was only a bump in the road to a Super Bowl Championship that year, but at the time was a head-scratching defeat that ended the Skins’ dream of an undefeated season.
Today’s game is a must-win for the Commanders, in my humble opinion. Washington is coming off 2 straight losses, and needs to get it’s mojo back. Jayden Daniels has not looked like the quarterback we saw in the team’s 7-2 start, and fans are anxious to see the early season version again. 3 losses in a row would feel like a return to the recent past.
Some experts have made the Commanders 10-point favorites for this afternoon’s contest, and today offers an opportunity to kick the Cowboys when they’re down. It’s a rivalry game, and strange things can happen. But you only have to go back to last season’s Dallas-Washington Thanksgiving game to remember the Cowboys having fun at the Commanders’ expense, pulling turkey legs out of the inflatable Salvation Army kettle at AT&T Stadium as they celebrated a 45-10 drubbing.
It’s time for a little Texas turkey today in the Nation’s Capital.
Until the next visit from the Booth, Happy Thanksgiving and Hail Commanderskins!
RW
