Jayden Daniels was probably looking forward to getting back onto the field after a rough week. The quarterback was complicit in the Washington Commanders' inexcusable tie with the New York Giants, and fixing that was high on his list of priorities.
A trip back to California, where Daniels grew up, to take on the San Francisco 49ers was a daunting challenge. It also happened to be on Monday Night Football, which added extra pressure to the occasion.
Pressure is what Daniels lives for.
He held himself accountable for the team's failure. Daniels appreciated head coach Dan Quinn taking the fire, but he's the quarterback on the field. He should have handled things better, but the best thing about the NFL is that it's a week-to-week league.
The NFC East is in turmoil right now. Washington had a chance to get back into the fight against the unbeaten Niners, and Daniels was eager to lead from the front with some added motivation.
Not the easiest task, of course, but the Commanders always know they have a chance with No. 5 under center.
As it turned out, things went about as bad as they could have for Daniels and the Commanders. They suffered a heavy loss, and there are far more questions than answers as they embark on their bye week.
With that in mind, here are five major observations from Daniels' performance at Levi's Stadium.
Major observations from Commanders QB Jayden Daniels' performance against the 49ers
Jayden Daniels lost his top receiver early
Things were always going to be difficult for Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders in this one. The gulf in quality between the two clubs was evident almost immediately, and losing wide receiver Terry McLaurin during the opening exchanges was a body blow.
McLaurin went down with a non-contact injury and immediately clutched his knee. It didn't look good, and the wideout was immediately ruled out after being carted into the locker room.
Daniels and McLaurin connected for a decent 27-yard gain on their first offensive play, but the success proved fleeting. The Commanders haven't had this prolific partnership for long enough over the last two seasons, and given how serious this could be for the Ohio State product, it might even be the last time fans get to see them on the field together.
That's sad to think about, but it's a definite possibility.
Daniels will just have to cope without McLaurin. But against a dominant Niners defense, it was nearly impossible to generate momentum without his WR1 to depend on.
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