Matchups between the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys don't normally need any extra juice. Aside from the obvious divisional ramifications that come with each game, the two teams have an intertwined history that spans decades.
There will be a few more threads connecting the Commanders and Cowboys this year when they square off at Northwest Stadium on Nov. 24. Head coach Dan Quinn, who served as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator from 2021-23, will face off against his former team for the first time on the other side of the rivalry. Current Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., along with five players on Washington's roster, are also set to put their stamp on the historic feud between the two teams.
Quinn and his players are taking a team-first mentality into the week of preparation, but there's certainly some extra excitement surrounding the game.
"To get a chance to have my first Dallas game here and have the crowd behind us and digging in, that's a really cool thing," Quinn said. "We can't wait."
Quinn success in Dallas is part of what landed him the job in Washington. The Cowboys led the league in takeaways (93), interceptions (59) and defensive touchdowns (15) with him as their defensive coordinator. He still has respect in Dallas for what he accomplished, both from his former players and fellow coaches.
"Just knowing Dan from across the way, I always had a ton of respect for him," Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said on Tuesday. "It was awesome to have him here in Dallas. He's become a very good friend. I'm really happy for the success he's having."
Quinn was known for his ability to build relationships with players in Dallas -- a trait that he brought with him to Washington. General manager Adam Peters and Managing Partner Josh Harris wanted to hire a coach who could help establish a culture and make Washington a place where players want to be. The Commanders are still in the process of establishing that reputation, but based on the 7-4 start and the report at the trade deadline that players wanted to join the Burgundy & Gold, the signs are pointing in the right direction.
That likely isn't a surprise to the Cowboys players who knew Quinn from his days in Dallas.
"Q [Quinn], I love him," said Cowboys safety Malik Hooker. "I'm sure there's a lot of guys here that loved him. Obviously, I haven't talked to him since the season started, but [in the] offseason he still reaches out and checks in from time to time. Q is always going to be one of the favorite guys in my book. He's one of the best coaches I had, and I still love him like a mentor as he was here."
Quinn downplayed the significance of the game on Wednesday, saying "I don't make one too often bigger than another." The players, including Dante Fowler Jr., Dorance Armstrong and Noah Brown, followed his lead but also admitted they're excited to see players they build relationships with over the years.
"It's gonna be really cool to play against...a lot of my old friends, a lot of my old teammates, being able to catch up with those guys and go and compete with them out on the field," Fowler said.
Fowler, a rotational player for the Cowboys last season, is a starter for the Commanders and on pace to have one of the best seasons in his career. He's fourth in the NFL with 8.5 sacks, the most for the 2016 No. 3 overall pick since the 11 he got in 2019, and he's on pace to surpass that total.
Armstrong, another Cowboys rotational player turned starter for the Commanders, is also having a solid season with three sacks and 23 tackles. He still keeps up with what's been happening since he left Dallas, which sits at 3-7 after multiple injuries to key positions. There's always an extra sense of urgency when playing against a former team, and he knows the rest of his teammates with Dallas ties feel the same.
"Anybody who came from there, it's going to mean a lot," Armstrong said. "It just might be one of the biggest games circled on the schedule. So, it's definitely a big game."
Those who wore blue and silver at some point in their careers are pushing the personal feeling aside in favor of the bigger picture for the Commanders. A win against the Cowboys would put them at 8-4, doubling the team's win total from 2023, and at 3-1 in the division -- their best starting record against NFC East opponents since 2012. Depending on what happens around the league, it could also move them up the playoff seeding, as they currently hold the No. 7 spot.
For Brown, who spent five seasons with the Cowboys and is currently on track for a career year, the focus is squarely on getting a win against another division opponent.
"All the division games kind of hold the same weight," Brown said. "You gotta win them to put us in good position for the end of the year. And that's what we're focused on doing."
On the Cowboys' side, they know they'll be getting a fight.
"Obviously, we know him [Quinn] well. He knows us well," said Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. "Again, I think you watch them play, their play style is very familiar in terms of the way they fly around football and stuff like that. They do a really good job with disguising their defenses."
