Jayden Daniels' injury
When it looked like the Washington Commanders' injury crisis couldn't get much worse, more heartache was on the way.
Jayden Daniels, who's already missed two games this season and is still playing with a knee brace, fumbled the ball on a sack early in the third quarter and immediately clutched his leg after getting brought down. The concerns were immediate, and after a trip to the medical tent, he went back to the locker room.
The Commanders initially listed Daniels as questionable to return with a hamstring problem. When the contest got out of hand, Washington ruled him out of the contest.
This was the other leg to the knee he sprained against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2, which is something. But for a player who relies so much on mobility, this has the scope to be a massive complication.
Washington has some extra time to assess and recover before a trip to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football in Week 8. Daniels' status will take the limelight once again, but this is something the Commanders must handle with extreme care.
Playing the long game is crucial. But Daniels getting hurt on top of everything else was the last thing Dan Quinn needed.
Commanders season is unraveling, with or without Jayden Daniels
Regardless of whether quarterback Jayden Daniels misses time or not, it probably won't matter. A season that promised much for the Commanders is unraveling quickly, and there might not be a way back into contention.
Their upcoming schedule is a gauntlet. They have the Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, and Detroit Lions in the next month. They also have a trip to Spain for an international fixture versus the lowly Miami Dolphins, but things are not looking good. Daniels is an exceptional player, but there are way too many holes on this team to paper over the cracks.
Daniels will keep fighting if health allows. He's a highly competitive individual who doesn't know when to quit. Even so, the momentum generated last season has completely evaporated.
The Commanders could turn it around. They need to get some influential figures back and make some serious adjustments defensively, but it seems like a long shot. There is nothing much Daniels can do about the failings of others, and there is a new injury problem to factor into the equation to raise concerns further.
This campaign is quickly becoming an unmitigated disaster. Daniels is only human, and this season is proving exactly that.