Commanders Presenting 'Big Time Test' For Cardinals in Week 4

The Arizona Cardinals need a win, and they know it won't be easy to get it against the Washington Commanders.

Sep 10, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) cuts in-between Arizona Cardinals linebacker Dennis Gardeck (45) and cornerback Marco Wilson (20) as assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy look on during the first half at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Tempe, AZ -- The Washington Commanders and Arizona Cardinals had just one pick between them in April's NFL Draft.

With the No. 2 overall pick the Commanders selected the second quarterback off the board, LSU's Jayden Daniels. With the No. 4 overall pick - after the New England Patriots selected North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye - the Cardinals selected Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. as the first non-quarterback taken.

On Sunday, the two rookies will take the field against each other for the first time with Washington looking for its third-straight win, and Arizona looking for it's second of the season. The Cardinals have the homefield advantage, but head coach Jonathan Gannon knows that fact doesn't give them much of one.

Sep 10, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) cuts in-between Arizona Cardinals linebacker Dennis Gardeck (45) and cornerback Marco Wilson (20) as assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy look on during the first half at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

“A lot of respect for (Commanders Head Coach) Dan Quinn. You can tell the fabric of how he coaches," Gannon said when discussing this weekend's matchup with the local media. "His team plays with that energy and juice on all three phases. They have good players on all three phases, offense is clicking—they’re 2-1 for a reason. Big time test coming in here.”

The feeling of a big test is mutual, however, as Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. made sure to point out on Thursday in his own press conference.

"Going into this game, a dynamic young quarterback, he's not young anymore. He’s been here for a while...the guy has tremendous arm talent," Whitt said in his opening remarks leading into Week 4. "He can throw it from any plane. He's faster than you think. He doesn't necessarily scramble to actually run the ball. He scrambles to throw, but it's hard to catch him. That dynamic back there, [Arizona Cardinals RB James] Conner. I mean, he just runs hard, have a lot of respect for him for a long time. Young, talented receivers. The offensive line, they've had some guys in and out. But I coached [Arizona Cardinals Head Coach] John Gannon in college, so I know he'll have an answer and a plan for that. But just a lot of respect for this team, a lot of respect for who they are because like I said, the relationship I have with Gannon, and I know how he's going to have his team ready."

Whitt was the cornerbacks coach for the Louisville Cardinals from 2003-06, at the same time Gannon - a former safety for the Cardinals who suffered a career-ending injury the year prior - was a student assistant for the program.

Gannon and Whitt both made the jump to NFL coaching ranks in 2007 when they joined Bobby Petrino with the Atlanta Falcons, but after the head coach was fired Whitt moved on to the Green Bay Packers staff while Gannon spent a year out of the NFL before coming back in as a scout for the St. Louis Rams.

That's where they're paths divided, yet stayed on similar lines as each climbed the ranks of NFL coaching staffs to this weekend, where both will have their fingerprints on the next big test for each of their newest professional organizations.

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