After showing out down the stretch in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles, quarterback Jayden Daniels was eager to take the next step in his triumphant return against the Dallas Cowboys.
Things started promisingly for the signal-caller. But then, disaster struck yet again. And if his elbow injury is as bad as feared, the Commanders' aspirations this season have taken a major hit.
The Commanders need Daniels to turn the screw. Dallas' defense didn't exactly shine on Sunday Night Football against the New York Giants, so it's not hard to see why the signal-caller relished the prospect of facing a bitter old foe.
Of course, Dallas was not going to roll over.
This was their home opener, and they did not want to start 0-2. Daniels and the Commanders had to meet fire with fire, and it was clear early on that the signal-caller needed to work miracles to keep Washington in the fight.
As it turned out, Daniels lasted a half before going out of the game. It sucked the life out of everyone, and the Commanders now face an anxious wait to see if this is going to have much more severe ramifications.
With that in mind, here are five major observations from Daniels' Week 2 performance at AT&T Stadium.
Major observations from Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels' performance against the Cowboys
Jayden Daniels' early rhythm
Things looked incredibly bleak for the Commanders at the start of the game. The Cowboys' offense got whatever it wanted during the opening exchanges, with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb scoring a touchdown early and very little pressure coming in the face of quarterback Dak Prescott.
That meant Daniels had no bedding-in period. He had to man up and drive the Commanders forward, and getting into an early rhythm was imperative.
Daniels successfully achieved this objective. The Commanders didn't do him many favors with some frustrating penalties, but there was real conviction in his distribution while also displaying his customary athleticism when things weren't developing as expected downfield.
Had it not been for a wayward pitch that running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt didn't bring in, the Commanders would have answered with a touchdown late in the first quarter. That wasn't to be, but it was clear that Daniels found his groove and the urgency needed to keep Washington in the contest.
This was a far cry from how Daniels started the game in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He was sluggish, with timing issues and a lack of decisiveness. But this was merely shaking off the rust after hardly playing in the preseason.
He still has a long way to go, and it wasn't perfect, but finding his footing early in games will serve Daniels and the Commanders well as the campaign goes on.
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