After missing the Washington Commanders' defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs, quarterback Jayden Daniels was back in the lineup for a crucial Sunday Night Football clash with the Seattle Seahawks. This was the morale boost everyone associated with the franchise needed at a critical time.
There was no Terry McLaurin for Daniels to depend upon once again. The wide receiver reaggravated his quad/hip flexor injury in his first game back, and reports suggest he might be out until after the bye week. But with the former LSU standout under center, fans always feel like Washington has a chance.
It was not going to be easy. The Seahawks are among the leading contenders in the NFC, boasting a formidable road record and a well-balanced offense with very few weaknesses. That is not the case with the Commanders this time around, so Daniels was under significant pressure as the national NFL audience watched intently.
On a night where the Commanders retired legendary wide receiver Art Monk's No. 81 jersey and wore their Super Bowl era jerseys, there was an extra sense of occasion at Northwest Stadium. There is nobody made for the big moments like Daniels.
As it turned out, it went worse than anyone imagined, and not even a talent like Daniels could drag thhe Commanders out of their freefall.
With this in mind, here are five major observations from Daniels' performance against Seattle in Week 9.
Major observations from Jayden Daniels' performance against the Seahawks
Jayden Daniels' hamstring
It was all systems go for Jayden Daniels in practice this week. The Washington Commanders ramped up his workload and were suitably impressed by his response. Even though he didn't carry an injury designation into the contest, fans were anxiously awaiting to see if the low-grade hamstring strain suffered against the Dallas Cowboys would limit his ability to be impactful.
Things got off to a cataclysmic start. But the one solace for fans throughout a disastrous evening at the office was Daniels moving freely and without restrictions. On a night where positives were extremely hard to find, this was one of them.
Just as well. Daniels was forced to do a lot of the hard yards himself; the receivers weren't getting open, and the run game couldn't get going. This left the signal-caller taking off almost immediately, with no trust in anyone else to get the job done.
Daniels looked explosive and decisive. If he's playing at less than 100 percent, his movements didn't show it. But it was clear from pretty early on that this was not going to be Washington's night as the Seahawks got off to a blistering start that had some fans heading home soon after the second quarter began.
Jayden Daniels was chasing throughout
The Washington Commanders' defense is a complete abomination and has been for some time. Any veiled hope fans had of a significant turnaround quickly disintegrated, with quarterback Sam Darnold picking them apart at will to pull well clear during the opening exchanges.
That left Jayden Daniels chasing the contest. Nothing unusual for the signal-caller, but the deck was stacked against him. Playing catch-up is never good, but when the Commanders are so understrength and clearly lacking confidence, it becomes an almost impossible task.
Daniels tried valiantly to turn the tide. He was the only player displaying any real sense of urgency. The LSU product was a one-man show too many times last season, and it's not sustainable if this ambitious Washington project wants to get back on track.
Something is seriously amiss. One could make a strong case that it was the case last season, too. The difference was Daniels, who masked many of the team's failings. But that can only hold up for so long.
In truth, Daniels was always fighting a losing battle. And on a night where the Commanders were honoring legendary former wideout Art Monk by retiring his No. 81 jersey number, it was a complete embarrassment.
Jayden Daniels' frustrating first half
To say it was a frustrating first half for Jayden Daniels and the Commanders would be an understatement. They were blown away by the Seahawks, who put up 31 points as Sam Darnold had a 100 percent completion, more than 250 passing yards, and four touchdowns.
Not what anyone expected, of course. But whenever the Commanders looked like they might be generating some momentum, a sloppy error came soon after. Whether it was penalties, fumbles, or Daniels throwing an ill-advised interception, it quickly became a comedy of errors that sapped the life out of an expectant fan base at Northwest Stadium.
Daniels hit Zach Ertz for a couple of nice completions. He also found Jaylin Lane on a crosser and rushed for a touchdown. Aside from that, the dynamic presence under center couldn't get anything going, as reflected in the stats.
- 63.64 percent completion (7-of-11)
- 64 passing yards
- 0 touchdowns
- 1 interception
- 0 sacks against
- 37 rushing yards (7 carries)
- 1 rushing touchdown
- 41.5 passer rating (ESPN)
There are only so many roadblocks Daniels could face. This half once again exposed the Commanders for what they are: an old, unprepared, and undisciplined squad who have lost all faith in their capabilities.
On the bright side, things couldn't get much worse.
Jayden Daniels kept fighting
Jayden Daniels deserves credit for never giving up. He is being let down by the Washington Commanders, but his fighting spirit continues to stand out.
Daniels tried to raise the tempo as best he could. It wasn't going to make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things, but that wasn't going to stop him. After all, it's this fierce inner drive that separated him from most quarterbacks in college en route to becoming the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.
If others displayed the same spirit, the Commanders might not be in this mess. That's not the case, and although quarterback remains football's most crucial position, one man cannot do it alone.
Daniels was pushing for as long as he was on the field. He kept striving to get his teammates going to no real avail. That's all he can do, in all honesty.
The Commanders' morale is at an all-time low right now. They are 3-6 and in very real danger of going 3-7 with the Detroit Lions upcoming next weekend. Daniels won't be giving up without a fight, but others can't meet their end of the bargain.
Which brings me nicely to the final observation…
Jayden Daniels deserves better, and is probably done for the year
Jayden Daniels deserves better. He's a generational talent and proved as much last season. The Commanders haven't done a good job of surrounding him with the supporting cast needed to kick on and cement his status among the NFL's elite.
One can blame the injuries all you like, but the gambles made during the offseason, coupled with Kliff Kingsbury's scheme being figured out by opposing defenses, have blown up in Washington's face. Daniels is a unique player who is being failed by the team that supposedly went all-in to maximize his rookie contract this offseason.
Some honest soul-searching is needed. Daniels isn't immune to criticism, but he is way down their list of problems. To make matters worse, he was getting pummeled throughout the second half as the offensive line lacked the motivation needed to keep up upright.
It's a complete mess. Nothing is clicking in any phase. The spark that ignited a sleeping giant in 2024 is long gone. Any hope of making the playoffs this season has evaporated almost completely, and not even Daniels' exceptional gifts are enough to stop the freefall.
Significant changes are coming; there's no getting away from that. And if that wasn't bad enough, he also got hurt in the fourth quarter, which will likely rule him out for the 2025 campaign.