Jayden Daniels' frustrating first half
Things could have been a lot worse for the Washington Commanders in the first half. They were somehow only down 11 at the break, which was remarkable when one considers how much the Green Bay Packers dominate all phases of the game.
Jayden Daniels was not exempt from feeling the heat. The LSU product was frustrated. Nothing seemed to be coming off, and the Packers had an answer for everything the Commanders seemed to throw at them.
A couple of key drops, notably from wide receiver Noah Brown, only dented Daniels' progress further. These self-inflicted errors were not needed in such a hostile environment. It's hard enough without creating so many issues yourself, and the signal-caller suffered accordingly.
Daniels played turnover-free football, which was the biggest positive. But aside from that, the first-half stats told their own story.
- 60 percent completion success
- 49 passing yards
- 0 touchdowns
- 0 interceptions
- 1 sack against
- 14 rushing yards (3 carries)
- 65.7 passer rating (ESPN)
Some significant adjustments were needed. It's not that Daniels didn't come out ready to play; it's just that the Packers were well-versed in how to take away his primary threats.
Which brings us nicely to our next point.
Jayden Daniels' connection wth Terry McLaurin
Terry McLaurin spent the entire summer holding out and then holding in to secure a contract extension from the Commanders. Things were resolved after a long standoff, but it has hurt the player's ability to reach his typically high standards.
McLaurin just looks a yard off the pace. He might have stayed in shape during his absence, but being genuinely conditioned for competitive football is something else entirely. And that's without accounting for the chemistry aspect with quarterback Jayden Daniels.
The pair became one of the league's most dynamic tandems last season. It's taking much longer to get going this time around, which is a direct result of missing so many valuable reps over offseason workouts and training camp.
This should get better as the campaign goes on. However, their lack of cohesion was exposed for the second straight week. If it goes on for much longer, the Commanders have a real problem on their hands.
The wideout eventually finished with five receptions from nine targets for 48 receiving yards. Something is amiss right now, so things better sharpen up between Daniels and McLaurin during the mini-bye week and throughout the rest of 2025.
McLaurin got his money. But based on the first two games, it's come at a price.
Add us as a preferred source on Google