5 winners (and 2 losers) from Commanders' triumph vs. Panthers in Week 7
By Dean Jones
Loser No. 2
Commanders injury worries
It wasn't all good news for the Washington Commanders despite securing a dominant victory on home soil. Things looked pretty bleak early on when rookie sensation Jayden Daniels got hurt on the opening drive, leading him into the locker room for X-rays on a rib issue that filled Northwest Stadium with dread.
Daniels was eventually ruled out. The Commanders didn't need him against a woeful team like the Carolina Panthers. Putting him in harm's way wouldn't have been smart, but head coach Dan Quinn should have more information on the problem and potential recovery timeline on Monday.
That wasn't all. The Commanders also lost rookie third-round offensive tackle Brandon Coleman. He suffered a concussion during the opening exchanges, so his status for Week 8 versus the Chicago Bears is also in significant doubt.
Coleman and Daniels are an integral part of Washington's long-term plans. If the Commanders are forced to be without the first-year duo for a considerable period, it'll have a detrimental impact on their surprising NFC East title hopes.
Fingers crossed for good news this week.
Winner No. 5
Terry McLaurin - Commanders WR
It's hard to keep finding new superlatives for Terry McLaurin. The Commanders' wide receiver has been on a tear to start the campaign after an indifferent start. Even when rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels went down on the opening drive, it failed to restrict the offense versus one of the league's historically bad defenses.
McLaurin's got previous experience when it comes to quarterback changes in Washington. He's played with more than a dozen starting signal-callers since arriving as a third-round pick out of Ohio State. He put this to good use en route to becoming Marcus Mariota's most trusted target.
The Pro Bowl pass-catcher had his way with the Panthers, showcasing his outstanding route-running, assured hands, and the ability to get open off-structure. McLaurin brought in all six of his targets for 98 receiving yards, which was nothing short of sensational in tricky circumstances.
If Daniels is forced to miss time, Mariota will depend heavily on McLaurin until the No. 2 pick is ready to return. Next weekend's matchup versus Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson will be critical, but the wideout finds himself in tremendous form heading into the mouthwatering clash.
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