Jayden Daniels' first half
It was evident right out of the gate what Jayden Daniels needed to do. The Dallas Cowboys marched downfield with ruthless efficiency to begin the contest. He needed to match fire with fire and make the best out of a bad situation.
Although there were some decent plays throughout the first half, it was frustrating overall. Daniels and the offense stuttered, and the defense didn't have the personnel or the schematic adjustments to hold Dallas' offense consistently. That's a bad combination, and one that saw the Commanders go into the break facing a huge mountain to climb.
Things would have been a lot worse had it not been for Daniels' ability to make plays out of structure. The accuracy wasn't where it needed to be, but his ability to make plays out of nothing kept the Cowboys' defense on their toes.
This was reflected in the stats. They looked okay, but nowhere near enough to compensate for the failings elsewhere.
- 52.63 percent completion
- 136 passing yards
- 1 touchdown
- 0 interceptions
- 32 rushing yards (7 carries)
- 1 rushing touchdown
- 93.3 passer rating (ESPN)
The Commanders looked overwhelmed and outmatched. Daniels tried valiantly, but there was just too much to overcome.
Jayden Daniels was always playing catch up
Chasing games is never easy. Jayden Daniels did his best when he was on the field, but for every joyous moment, an immediate setback followed.
That was thanks in no small part to Washington's abomination they call a defense these days. They look old, slow, and unable to keep pace. Joe Whitt Jr. isn't capable of making the schematic adjustments needed, and the entire operation is suffering accordingly.
This was no more evident than at the end of the first half. Daniels got the Commanders downfield during the two-minute drill and into the end zone with a rushing score. It was instantly followed by a quick-fire strike back from the Cowboys, which negated this momentum almost in the blink of an eye.
Daniels was by no means perfect, but he was always fighting a losing battle. That's the harsh reality — one that Commanders fans were fearing even before the contest began. One player can only do so much, and when he's not firing on all cylinders, it doesn't take long for things to unravel.
And things were about to get much worse for Daniels and the Commanders. Something that could see an already spiraling campaign completely off the rails.