In the Washington Commanders’ first meeting after securing a playoff spot, coach Dan Quinn reminded his players that they still had unfinished business in their regular-season finale, with a chance to be the NFC’s sixth seed.
They are already in the playoffs, but winning on Sunday against Dallas would guarantee them a wild-card game against either Tampa Bay (if it wins the NFC South) or the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams.
However, a loss or tie—unless Green Bay loses to Chicago—would send them to face NFC East champion Philadelphia. Therefore, they plan to have all starters on the field.
“We’re going to go after it as hard as we can,” Quinn said. “The seeding portion of this is really important. … We recognize having the 6 seed and going into the playoffs with that is a good thing, and so we’re going to fight like hell to keep that.”
The Commanders moved ahead of the Packers, who lost on Sunday to Minnesota, by beating Atlanta in overtime. The Rams will be the third seed if they beat Seattle or if the Buccaneers lose to New Orleans.
“We want to stay in the spot we’re in, so we still got a lot to play for,” safety Quan Martin said after practice on Wednesday.
Four weeks ago, Quinn recalled that the team was 7-5 and focused mainly on just making the playoffs. After winning four straight games to improve to 11-5, the team now has its sights set on securing the best possible playoff spot.
“That’s a big emphasis this week,” right guard Sam Cosmi said. He also mentioned that there’s extra motivation after losing to Dallas at home on Nov. 24. “Obviously, they got us here, and we’re going to try to return the favor and do it at their house. We didn’t forget that. It’s still a divisional game, and it’s still the Cowboys, so we’re going to bring it to ’em.”
The Commanders could have running back Austin Ekeler back after he was concussed on a kickoff return late in that game. The team opened Ekeler’s practice window on Wednesday, and he is eligible to come off injured reserve this weekend after missing the past four games.
“We’re really pumped to have him back out on the field,” Quinn said. “He’s had great workouts, all the speed and everything, but just to have him back on the field today was really cool. There was a spring in his step, for sure, and we’ll go through the whole process.”
Washington has been performing well, thanks to rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has been both running and passing well. However, in the last three games, running backs Brian Robinson, Chris Rodriguez, and Jeremy McNichols have averaged just 2.14 yards per carry.
Ekeler’s return adds a pass-catching threat and gives the team a change-of-pace option.
“Austin is a dynamic player: obviously just the different dynamics he brings running the football, receiving out of the backfield,” Daniels said. “Other guys stepped in and filled in that role, but it’s good to get Austin back this late in the season and keep ramping up from there.”
As for the sixth seed, Daniels isn’t thinking about it much, but his focus is still on the Cowboys.
“You want to win every game,” Daniels said, adding that he has never played at the stadium in Arlington, Texas, known as “Jerry World.” “It means something to us to go out there and—not just for the seeding—but go out there and end the regular season off right with a win.”
Six-time All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, who helped Seattle win the Super Bowl a little more than a decade ago when Quinn was the defensive coordinator, thinks it’s important to go into the playoffs on a strong note. The Seahawks won their final regular-season game in the 2013 season.
“We have a game in front of us, and that’s the only game that matters,” Wagner said. “We don’t know where we’re going to be. We don’t know where we’re going to be at next year. All we have is this week. The message is kind of just focus on where you’re at and be where you’re at.”
This message has been passed down from the coaching staff and veteran players to the rest of the team.
“We know them, they know us and we just want to try to still have our best output at the back end of the season,” Robinson said. “Finish strong, we have stuff to play for and we just want to keep that chip on our shoulder.”
