Washington Football Team Using Bench Controversy To Return Fire Ahead Of Rematch With Cowboys

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But since the Washington Football Team (6-7) is falling seriously short of mimicking the Dallas Cowboys' (10-4) ability to win games in 2021, they've instead opted to focus on where the players sit during the game. The age-old rivalry saw an added twist in Week 14 after head coach Mike McCarthy essentially guaranteed a victory -- labeled a "big mistake" by Ron Rivera -- but hit a new level of potency when owner Jerry Jones ordered heated benches to be delivered and placed on the Cowboys sideline, after being tipped off by the Seattle Seahawks that the ones at FedEx Field were faulty.

So, as it turned out, the Cowboys made the move to prevent a competitive disadvantage, going on to thump Washington in sound fashion, but it was viewed by many as a mind game being played by Jones; and despite the logos having been added by the third-party company without the Cowboys knowledge.

Combined with being humiliated in between the lines, it was apparently all Washington ownership could stand until they couldn't stands no more, pouring spinach into their collective pipe and contacting the same company just one day after being throttled by the Cowboys -- ordering their own heated benches that they'll take on tour with them for their final three road games of the season.

What makes this move by Washington that much more curious is, well, lots.

For one, when they arrive in Arlington on Sunday to meet their benches, they'll be reminded that the Cowboys play in a dome, and that the temperatures are expected to be in the mid-70s at kickoff (highs in the low 80s during the day). This means the heated function won't be needed and, as such, prevents no competitive disadvantage. WFT is also currently entrenched in a rampant COVID-19 outbreak that's crippling both their roster and coaching staff alike.

The first view of Washington's new benches will be available on Tuesday evening, when they finally visit the Philadelphia Eagles in a game that was rescheduled due to the aforementioned COVID situation. It's a must-win game for WFT, followed by yet another when they square off in a rematch with the Cowboys only five days later, a team currently sitting in the No. 2 seat in the NFC with a shot at moving into the No. 1 seat before the season concludes.

If Washington can't figure out how to win out to finish the season and sneak into the playoffs, they won't need the benches to warm them this winter -- they'll be warming the benches.