The Washington Commanders booked their place in the postseason and moved into the sixth seed after dramatically beating the Atlanta Falcons. Head coach Dan Quinn is eager to keep his foot on the throttle.
Almost immediately after Washington cemented its place in the playoffs, speculation rose about whether Quinn would rest some of his top stars for Washington's season finale at the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18. There are obvious benefits, but it also brings some potential complications that cannot be ignored.
There are countless examples around the league of teams resting players and coming out rusty in the knockout rounds. It can easily go the other way, so this was a tricky conundrum that Quinn needed to handle with care.
Dan Quinn wants Commanders to finish strongly against the Cowboys
It came as no surprise to see Quinn discuss this matter during his latest appearance in front of the media. His response was emphatic, outlining the desire to finish strongly and lock up the sixth position by getting one over on his old employers.
"We’re going to go after it as hard as we can. I think the seeding portion of this is really important, and that’s what we discussed as a team. We thought last night — the vibe was awesome at the game — we thought we left some plays out there. And so, for us, that leveling up as we’re heading into this week with Dallas would be really important. But we recognize having a sixth seed and going into the playoffs with that is a good thing. So, we’re going to fight like hell to keep that."Dan Quinn
Nobody should have expected anything less from Quinn. He knows the significance of building further momentum. It wouldn't be easy by any stretch of the imagination, but the Los Angeles Rams represent an easier proposition to overcome than the Philadelphia Eagles, especially on the road.
Getting the chance to right some wrongs and keep generating positivity is another important element of this equation. Quinn is correct in his assessment of Washington's performance in Week 17. They got away with costly mistakes this time, but they won't be as lucky when the margins get tighter in the postseason.
If the Commanders can rectify their issues on the road, especially when it comes to penalties, with no real pressure on their shoulders, it's only going to serve them well in the playoffs.
Quinn is playing with house money from here on. Nobody anticipated the Commanders to make it this far after a comprehensive teardown during the offseason. They are way ahead of schedule, everyone associated with the franchise is reinvigorated, and the league is starting to look at them differently.
That doesn't mean Quinn is going to stop there. He oozes confidence in his squad. He knows they are a match for anybody when firing on all cylinders. The Commanders always have a chance with Jayden Daniels under center no matter the opposition. There is legitimate hope for the first time in decades.
Something special is happening. Quinn's competitive desire and boundless enthusiasm dictate nothing but maximum effort against the Cowboys.
What comes after that is less certain. But it's going to be fun finding out.