Dan Quinn doesn't mind answering questions about the Hail Mary that helped the Washington Commanders beat the Chicago Bears last season. It was one of the most memorable plays of the year, and like everyone else, Quinn was holding his breath as the ball was tipped in the air before Noah Brown ended up with it in the end zone.
But like everyone else on the team, Quinn isn't making a fuss about it. The play was part of last year's story, and it doesn't have anything to do with this year's squad.
"It was awesome; we loved it," Quinn said before Wednesday's practice. "But it doesn't apply to this week's game at all unless we get into that exact scenario and that exact situation. Then we can talk about it."
It was inevitable that the play would become a storyline for Monday's game. Washington and Chicago entered the game as two of the better groups in the NFC, and in many ways, it was a significant moment for both teams; the Commanders improved to 6-2 and won six of their next nine games, while the Bears lost their next nine matchups and fired their head coach before the end of the season.
This year, the Commanders and Bears once again find themselves in similar circumstances. With the Commanders at 3-2 and the Bears at 2-2, both teams are looking to build some momentum as they get into the meat of their respective schedules. There are some other aesthetic similarities between the two games. The Commanders will be wearing their all-black alternate uniforms -- the same ones they wore during last year's matchup.
But the players have moved on from the play and prefer to keep it in the past.
"I don't want to talk about it," quarterback Jayden Daniels said after practice. "I'll just leave that to last year. That speaks for itself."
The players have fond memories of the game. They rushed the field as soon as Brown's catch was ruled a touchdown, and the crowd erupted in cheers to celebrate the moment. Quinn compared himself to former NC State Head Coach Jim Valvano, "just running around, not sure what to do and where to go." It became one of the signature moments for the team, serving as an example of what can happen when they buy into Quinn's culture.
But the Commanders know they're a different team compared to last year, and so are the Bears.
"Those guys are flying around to the ball, tackling and making good plays on the football," Daniels said. "So, we got our hands full in that aspect."
The Commanders are choosing to focus on themselves this week, rather than be nostalgic about the past, and they believe there are several things for them to work on. While they lead the league in rushing offense and rank among the top 10 in points per game, they're also struggling to hold onto the ball and convert third downs. Their defense performed well against a top 10 Los Angeles Chargers team last week but has been spotty in preventing explosive plays.
The Commanders don't have time to reminisce about last year's game, and they're ready to turn the page.
"That Hail Mary ain't gonna help us win a game on Monday," Daniels said. "So, what's the point?"
