Commanders Nation: Washington new head coach Dan Quinn could be a problem for the rival Dallas Cowboys

On February 1, it was announced that Dan Quinn, the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys, was hired by the Washington Commanders to be their new head coach after owner Josh Harris fired former head coach Ron Rivera after four seasons of inconsistency. This won't be Quinn's first go-around being a head coach in the NFL, as he was the head coach for the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2020.

Quinn is once again a head coach in the NFL, as he will now be coaching in the NFC East for the Commanders; while Quinn was in Atlanta, he mustered a regular season record of 43-42 and a postseason record of 3-2, but most notably during his tenure with Atlanta was the Super Bowl LI matchup against the New England Patriots where the Falcons gave up a 28-3 lead.

Besides being a head coach, Quinn has been a defensive coordinator for three teams, two in the NFL and the other in college. Quinn was a Super Bowl champion as the Defensive Coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Dan Quinn's hiring helps Washington and hurts Cowboys

Quinn, who has been the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys since 2021, has had the Cowboy's defense ranked in the top 5 in DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average), and bringing that to Washington will do them wonders as Washington, ranked 32 in defense. And with Washington holding the 2nd overall pick and trying their luck to get quarterback Caleb Williams, coach Quinn will need to try to build a strong culture since Washington is entering a transition stage for this upcoming season.

Can Dan Quinn make the Commanders a playoff-bound team? It's possible, as Quinn made the Cowboys' defense into a turnover machine after being considered one of the worst defenses under Mike Nolan. Quinn, for sure, has an opportunity ahead to showcase his defensive mastermind with the burgundy and gold.

The Commanders haven't made it to the playoffs since the 2020 season as a 7-9 division winner; they also haven't seen a 10+ win season since 2012. Quinn will have a lot of pressure on him as he will try to take a team that has ended the last three seasons in last place into a first-place team.

Will the 2024 season be a turnaround for our nation's capital? Or will it turn into a disaster? We will find out this upcoming season.