The Washington Commanders will only go as far as quarterback Jayden Daniels takes them this season. That theory was put to the test during the team's annual excursion to take on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7.
To say Daniels' supporting case was depleted would be an understatement. Terry McLaurin missed his fourth consecutive game despite optimism earlier in the week. Deebo Samuel Sr. wasn't risked after his heel complication didn't get any better. Noah Brown hasn't been seen since Week 2, and the Commanders finally placed him on injured reserve.
That left Daniels with Chris Moore, Luke McCaffrey, fourth-round rookie Jaylin Lane, and practice-squad elevation Robbie Chosen as his wide receivers. Not exactly the strongest group, so the former LSU standout had to do whatever was needed to elevate this team in pursuit of keeping up with Dallas' high-octane offense.
Fortunately, the Cowboys' defense is nowhere near as good. They rank dead last in almost every meaningful defensive category this season. Matt Eberflus' unit was also without cornerback Trevon Diggs, who suffered an accident at home and is now in the concussion protocol.
Even so, this was a legitimate 50-50 game where every slight edge was crucial. As it turned out, the Commanders were embarrassed en route to a heavy defeat, and Daniels didn't even finish the contest.
With this in mind, here are five significant observations from Daniels' performance in Week 7 at AT&T Stadium.
Major observations from Jayden Daniels' performance against the NY Jets
Jayden Daniels' timing
Being without so many pass-catchers comes with more complications than just production and reputation. Jayden Daniels was working with receivers that he wasn't as familiar with in a typical game-day setting. This has the scope to cause timing issues, which reared its head throughout the signal-caller's time under center.
There were some good moments, but they were few and far between. Something wasn't clicking. Daniels and the offense couldn't get into a rhythm, and the Cowboys had no trouble adopting man coverage on the outside with the fear factor gone.
Daniels missed some makeable throws, which has been an overlooked tale of his tape throughout his NFL sophomore campaign. Everything that came so easily for him last season isn't the case this time around. There is plenty of blame to go around, but the Cajon High School graduate raised a ridiculously high bar for himself that hasn't come close to being met as yet.
It's all about chemistry. Daniels was trying to force the issue, and it didn't work. He needed to be flawless to keep up with Dallas' relentless offense, and it was clear from a long way out that this wasn't going to be the case.
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.
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.