'We Hate Them, They Hate Us': Washington Loss to Cowboys Revs Up Rivalry

"It's Dallas; we hate them and they hate us. They can do what they want. I really don't give a shit." - Cole Holcomb.

LANDOVER, Md. - The "Sports Hate'' between the Washington Football Team and the Dallas Cowboys is back.

"It is what it is,'' said WFT Cole Holcomb after Sunday's 27-20 Dallas win at FedEx Field, a game that from the Washington perspective was defined by Cowboys cockiness. "It's Dallas; we hate them and they hate us. They can do what they want.

"I really don't give a shit."

Ah, but the WFT does give a ... care. And that is half of the beauty of it.

And Dallas cares, too. That is the other half of the beauty of it.

This is a often labeled a "storied rivalry,'' but the fire has often been dormant in recent years. Mediocrity from both programs is part of the reason for that. Free agency, offseason friendships, postgame jersey exchanges ... that's involved, too, because how do you hate a guy with whom you are exchanging autographed jerseys?

But both of these programs are pretty good right now, Dallas at 9-4 and in charge of the NFC East, Washington at 6-7 now eyeing a wild-card playoff spot.

'The Washington Football Team vs. Dallas (game) should be a big game like it was today,'' said WFT coach Ron Rivera. "We've just got to play better."

Sure. That's an issue. Holcomb's late-game pick-6 on Dak Prescott helped the WFT rally from what had been a 24-0 hole. But there was effort. Fire. Hate.

"I obviously respect and love the fact that my teammates are standing up for me,” Prescott said after a sideline fight, with Dallas La’el Collins and Ezekiel Elliott leading Dallas’ retaliatory charge. “It’s how all of us feel about one another.”

The Cowboys love themselves. No doubt. Coach Mike McCarthy pledged his team would win on Sunday, and then Dallas made itself at home at FedEx by shipping in its own hot-seat benches. Forget that the Cowboys did so because they'd heard the visitors benched here tend to malfunction; the appearance created a "cocky Cowboys'' vibe that long-time Washington fans know all too well.

Said Collins: "At the end of the day, we’re not going to take no bullshit.''

Added Elliott: “We fight for ours.”

And at the end of the day, Washington wishes to fight back on the nonsense and "fight for ours,'' too. Fighters from Dallas. Fighters from Washington. 

"Sports Hate'' is back.