The Washington Commanders have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. Their lopsided loss to the Minnesota Vikings put the postseason out of their reach. It’s the painful crescendo of what has been a brutally disappointing campaign.
In the loss, superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered yet another injury to his elbow. The young quarterback has struggled to stay healthy this season, and his frequent absences have been a primary reason for the team’s disappointing year. The injury doesn’t seem to be too serious, as the LSU product is expected to return as early as next week.
Still, it’s another sign of a growing problem in Daniels’ game. The second-year pro hasn’t learned to protect himself, and it’s leading to the franchise's shortcomings. Something needs to change quickly, or this pattern could affect more than just this season.
Jayden Daniels’ reckless play could continue to cause Commanders problems
Throughout this season, most of the blame for Daniels’ health issues has been put on the coaching staff. There is certainly some merit to the criticism.
When your franchise player is consistently getting banged up, it makes sense to adjust the game plan to protect him better. Kliff Kingsbury could make small changes, such as keeping tight ends in pass protection or limiting designed quarterback runs. It wouldn’t make sense to take one of Daniels’ biggest strengths out of the game plan entirely, but small changes could go a long way in keeping him on the field.
But these problems aren’t entirely the coaching staff’s fault. Daniels is somewhat responsible as well. He has shown some reckless tendencies this season, leading to unnecessary hits.
For example, he often lowers his shoulder or dives head-first at the end of runs instead of sliding. He scrambles frequently enough that these small practices could cost him years of his career. It’s easy to celebrate when he fights for a couple of extra yards, but these plays are putting him at risk.
In the loss to the Vikings, he tried to chase down a defender after throwing an interception, taking a big hit, and falling on his arm.
As some experts have pointed out, Daniels needs to learn to protect himself for the sake of his career's longevity. If he doesn’t change his habits quickly, it could hold the Commanders back from reaching their potential.