When Dan Quinn became head coach of the Washington Commanders after an extensive interview process, there weren’t many tears in Dallas. Many fans thought the former Cowboys defensive coordinator had taken this team as far as he could. After a complete capitulation during their home playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers, most were happy to see him land with an NFC East rival.
Quinn was a necessary scapegoat for another massive underperformance by the Cowboys, who are hyped beyond recognition by the national media every year and almost always fail to deliver when the going gets tough. Her loss could be a gain for the Commanders considering the energy and determination he has shown in the early stages of his second opportunity as head coach.
Mike Zimmer was chosen to replace Quinn. He represents the same old-fashioned values and seemed to quickly win everyone over to his side. Several players claimed that the 2024 season would be better, but this has not translated into competition so far.
Turns out, scapegoating Quinn wasn’t enough to remove the troubling stigma surrounding Dallas’ defense. No one in the Commanders fan base is going to complain about that.
They are designed to play with an advantage. Towards the end of Quinn’s tenure, there was a clear plan on how to beat them. That hasn’t changed since Zimmer took office.
Anyone who can run the football can hurt the Cowboys. Their underbelly is weak. Although Micah Parsons is one of the best pass rushers in the league, it’s more complicated to get the edge in the running game. Mazi Smith – a player Quinn cut as a rookie and whose approach she was heavily criticized for – will likely never live up to her first-round expectations.
It’s still early, but this is how Dallas’ defense stacks up in 2023 after the first three games with Zimmer at the helm.
Statistics courtesy of TeamRankings.com.
Rushing yards allowed per game:
Pass yards allowed per game:
Yards allowed per game:
Sacks per game:
There are more examples, but Quinn apparently wasn’t the main problem. This defense is unable to win in the trenches against physical attacks. The Cowboys didn’t do enough in the offseason to correct this from a recruiting perspective. Until they change the narrative, opposing offenses will continue to challenge them on the ground.
That’s no longer an issue for Quinn. Dallas’ defensive woes are good news for the Commanders. They need to get their own affairs in order first, but this is the first year of a huge rebuilding project. The Cowboys are supposedly ready to win now.
Quinn has to worry about his defensive issues. The Commanders aren’t generating nearly enough pressure and the secondary is struggling to produce the results they want. It was clear from the start that this was going to be a gradual process, but after a monumental offseason of change, there are far more positives than negatives coming out of Washington.
Dallas should get better. But if things keep going like this, maybe they shouldn’t have pointed the finger at Quinn, but at someone else.
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