Jonathan Allen Throws Punch at WFT Teammate Daron Payne During Cowboys Game

Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne are accustomed to playing alongside each other on the defensive side of the ball as former college teammates and current Washington Football Team members.

But the Alabama products looked like anything but friends on the sidelines during Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Frustration was clearly high for the visitors after they fell behind in the first half, and Allen and Payne got into an altercation on the bench. Payne appeared to stick his finger in Allen's face, and the latter retaliated by throwing a punch.

Frankly, it was difficult to script a worse start for the Football Team.

Taylor Heinicke threw an interception to Trevon Diggs on his first pass of the game and then threw a pick-six to DeMarcus Lawrence later in the first quarter. The defense was also invisible for extended stretches, as Dak Prescott threw two touchdowns in the first quarter before Ezekiel Elliott extended the lead with a touchdown run.

Throw in the fact Washington came into this game on a two-game losing streak and on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, and the emotions clearly got the best of the Football Team as they saw their season slip away in the first half of a critical NFC East showdown.

Still, it was shocking to see Allen involved.

After all, he is one of the team's captains and figured to be someone the rest of the defense could turn to when it was in need of leadership. Instead, he was involved in an altercation with his teammate as the Cowboys were seizing control of the game.

There is something to be said for losing one's cool during the heat of the moment, but the sideline fight will surely be seen as emblematic of Washington's collapse assuming it doesn't turn things around and make an unlikely push toward the playoffs.