The last time the Cowboys had a losing record midway through November, it was Mike McCarthy’s first year on the job. He had lost Dak Prescott for the year and the offense had predictably struggled in his absence, but more concerning was how bad the defense had been under new coordinator Mike Nolan.
Now, the Cowboys find themselves in almost the exact same situation. Prescott is out for the year, and the offense has looked abysmal without him. But the defense has been just as bad, if not worse, under a new coordinator also named Mike.
Another commonality between the 2020 and 2024 seasons: the only two years of the McCarthy era that didn’t feature Dan Quinn in the coaches room. And they’re set for their first faceoff with Quinn since leaving Dallas when the Cowboys travel to play the Commanders this Sunday.
Quinn enjoyed three instantly successful years in Dallas, and was the hottest head coaching name each year because of it. But Quinn finally left for his second chance at running his own franchise when he took the Commanders job, teaming up with rookie general manager Adam Peters – who some have called the real brains of the 49ers operation – and newly-minted owner Josh Harris.
Quinn stepped into the role under some unusual circumstances. Many believed, and it was reported as such, that Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was the Commanders’ top choice, and that Washington “settled” for Quinn when Johnson turned them down. Whether or not that’s the case, Commanders fans have to be thrilled with how it’s turned out so far. Quinn has his team sitting at 7-4 and playing meaningful football games in November for the first time in ages.
Quinn looks poised to take the Commanders to the playoffs for the first time since 2020, when Ron Rivera’s Washington Football Team won the NFC East with a 7-9 record. He could also lead the team to its first winning season since 2016, when Jay Gruden finished 8-7-1 but missed the playoffs. And odds are even good to hit double-digit victories for the first time since 2012, when the offense led by sensational rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III.
That last part feels particularly noteworthy, as this year’s Commanders are led by sensational rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Like Griffin, Daniels won the Heisman and was selected second overall by Washington and even has a similar play style. Daniels is a dual-threat athlete who drew comparisons to Lamar Jackson in the draft and has, to some level, backed it up with his incredible play so far.
For the first time in a long time, the future feels bright in the nation’s capitol, at least in terms of football. The same can’t be said of the Cowboys, who feel destined for another reset after the year. Fan sentiment soured on Mike McCarthy long before Prescott’s injury derailed a season that was already spiraling out of control, but there’s even less enthusiasm for the thought of Jerry Jones picking yet another coach to be tasked with living up to the enormous expectations that come with leading America’s Team.
As the Cowboys prepare to square off against Quinn’s Commanders, the team limps into this one after losing five straight. Prior to the year, some had circled this as a must-watch, with McCarthy facing off against Quinn and so many defensive stars – Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland – getting a chance to play against the coach who helped mold them.
Now there’s little excitement for this game from the Cowboys’ side. The Commanders are currently 10-point favorites, and only the Chiefs (facing the 3-7 Panthers) have a larger point spread this week. For the faction of Cowboys fans who wanted Quinn to succeed McCarthy as the next head coach in Dallas, this game likely serves only as a brief, painful glimpse into what could’ve been. The Cowboys could certainly play the role of spoiler here – after all, it seems they can only ever win games on the road now – but that proposition seems dubious, at best.
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