Dan Quinn oozing calm assurance before Commanders' Week 6 pressure cooker

Hype is building. Excitement is growing. The Washington Commanders' game at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6 is the talk of the town. It might be in the early window, but the mouth-watering clash will have the NFL's almost undivided attention.

Many see this as an acid test for the Commanders and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. The Ravens are a perennial contender with Pro Bowl and All-Pro talent everywhere you look. It's the sort of pressure cooker environment with high stakes this franchise hasn't experienced much over the last decade. How they cope with the spotlight glaring will be critical to their chances.

Staying on an even keel is difficult. The Commanders are 4-1 and further ahead than any projection before the campaign. At the same time, nothing is won or lost at this stage of the season. Maintaining focus and not getting ahead of themselves can be the catalyst for even brighter days ahead.

Head coach Dan Quinn is providing assured calmness amid ongoing adulation. He's the experienced leader those in power believed could spearhead this ambitious project. It looks like a tremendous hire so far. He'll also be all too aware of how quickly things can change if complacency creeps in.

Commanders downplaying the hype ahead of crunch Week 6 clash

Quinn was quick to downplay the hype surrounding the contest at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 6. The former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator acknowledged his team was coming up against an exceptional opponent. However, he was also quick to point out that those in the building aren't seeing this as something that will have more bearing on their 2024 outlook than any other contest.

"We don't talk in those terms of measuring sticks. Hey, it's no secret, Baltimore's a really good football team, but we're not using it as a measuring stick of where we're at. Like every time we go, we're here to get down and go for it. So, it has no bearing on a measuring stick or any of that. We know how good they are and we're ready to go fight, too."

- Dan Quinn via Commanders.com

This, once again, is the right way to approach things. It's getting more attention than most fixtures. But at the end of the day, it's just one game.

The Commanders will still comfortably have a winning record if they don't beat the Ravens. Their aspirations won't change if they are defeated by a team that harbored much bigger goals before the campaign. Quinn is preaching maximum effort at all times no matter who's on the opposite side of the field. It's had the desired effect so far. And even if it doesn't come with success all the time, it won't be for the lack of trying.

Washington's culture shift under Quinn's guidance has been outstanding. The professionalism and purpose in the building are night and day from previous regimes. That's the recipe for success. Whether it's a leading contender like the Ravens or a bottom-feeder like the Carolina Panthers in Week 7, the mentality remains consistent.

That's what the Commanders can hang their hat on as a foundational building block. Quinn's calm persona leading into this heavyweight battle is a testament to this. Long may it continue.

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