Commanders can deny it, but Kevin Sheehan says Sunday is 'measuring stick' game against Ravens

"We don't talk in that terms of measuring stick," Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said about Sunday's game against the Ravens. "Like, honestly, you've heard us say there's so many things for us to attack and get better at. So, we're not trying to use this game as a measuring stick, it's no secret Baltimore's a really good football team.

"We're not using it as a measuring stick of where we're at. Every time we go, we're here to get down and go for it. [This game] has no bearing of a measuring stick or any of that. We know how good they are and we're ready to go fight, too. Not a measuring stick game for us."

Of course, while the head coach can have an opinion on how Washington is treating the Week 6 matchup in Baltimore, that opinion isn't shared by everyone outside the bubble in Ashburn.

"This game, to me, is a measuring stick game," Kevin Sheehan said Thursday on Team 980. "But I think that's the way fans think of things, media. Coaches, it's cliche, but it's so true – the way they are built, the way they are constructed, especially the good ones, and I think Dan Quinn is proving pretty early on that he was the right choice because of the experience – they understand essentially you're only good as your last game.

"And every game is its own entity. Every game takes on a completely different personality."

Sheehan added that everyone inside the NFL is doing everything they can this week to win that weekend's game and stack wins. Thinking about big picture – especially for a non-divisional and non-conference opponent (so no big playoff seeding implications) – the only aspect that matters is getting the win no matter the circumstances.

But... all of those rules don't apply to The Kevin Sheehan Show: "You really haven't faced a big-time test in terms of the opponent since the opener," he said. "So, to me, going to Baltimore with the Ravens on a three-game win streak, with the Ravens being as they have been a legitimate Super Bowl contender – I think they're actually a much different team than they were last year at this point, they are certainly different defensively, last year they were awesome defensively... – this year they look, again, incredibly dynamic offensively, they look a bit differently defensively.

"But the magnitude, the players, I think it's a measuring stick game from this standpoint: Do they go in there with the same kind of fearlessness and competitiveness and toughness that they went into Cincinnati with?

"This is a bigger spot. This is more eyes, more attention than they've had on any of their games. People now believe Washington might be a contender. And do they go in there and play at the level that they played at the last three games in particular?"

And when speaking about just the offense, Sheehan added, "Does that offense go in there and take the Ravens by storm? Do they go in there and put up another six scores on nine drives? Are they sitting there with another point total in the 30s? Win or lose. I want them to win, obviously, but from that standpoint, offense, for me, to see them go in and do what they did against Cleveland, Cardinals, Cincinnati, to a lesser extent the Giants.

"But in that environment, which will be hostile – [but with a lot of Washington fans] – a road game, an intense environment, a team with pedigree, a team that many others have looked up to organizationally and otherwise, a team that by the way, needs to win the game.. these are the kinds of games [the Ravens] need to win."

Sheehan's point: "The measure for me is, does Jayden Daniels, Kliff Kingsbury, Terry McLaurin, Brain Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, that offensive line, those tight ends, do they go in there and do they continue what they've given us for the last three weeks? Great offense, unstoppable offense, incredible quarterback play, and do they hang another 28+ on somebody? Another 30+ on somebody?"

If Washington does that – and possibly even if they do that in a close defeat – "every single game on the schedule becomes winnable the rest of the way."That is the measuring stick.

Now, here is where things could get really serious: "If you go in there and you also get a defensive step-up performance – I'm not expecting that... – now all the sudden strike up the bandwagon [Tony Kornheiser]. It's '91 all over."

Listen to the full take – and about Joe Gibbs and the 1991 season – on the audio player above!