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You could have heard a pin drop in Northwest Stadium when Jayden Daniels, the Washington Commanders (5-2) rookie quarterback and current NFL “it guy”, threw his helmet on the ground in disgust and left the field with a rib injury in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.
Daniels led the offense onto the field for its first drive of the game leading 7-0 thanks to a Donte Fowler Jr. 67-yard pick-six of Carolina quarterback Andy Dalton.
He broke a 47-yard run on the Commander’s first play but appeared uncomfortable when he got up. He stayed in the game as Washington finished off the drive with a 23-yard field goal from Austin Seibert. However, he was not 100 percent.
After entering the medical tent, Daniels was taken to the locker room for an x-ray. Head coach Dan Quinn had no information on the seriousness of the injury after the game.
” We’ll do some further tests tomorrow and then when we get together in the afternoon, we’ll give you an update,” Quinn said in his post-game news conference. “But I don’t have anything for everybody else asking the same thing, same answer.”
Veteran backup Marcus Mariota looked rusty when he entered the game in relief. Washington leaned on running back Brian Robinson Jr. until Mariota found his rhythm.
After Emmanuel Forbes Jr. intercepted Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton for a second straight series, Robinson had runs of 9, 7, 7, and 11 yards, the last one for a touchdown to stretch the Commanders lead to 17-0.
“We were ready to adjust,” Robinson said. “We adjusted where [QB] Marcus [Mariota] came right in and did everything he was supposed to do. So it was like, [QB] five [Jayden Daniels] wasn’t even there, you know. So we would love to have him back out on the field, you know, never want to see him go up the field. So, you know, I’m just glad everybody was prepared to adjust to it.”
Mariota found that rhythm at the end of the first half as he completed six of seven passes on an eight-play 92-yard drive, capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Ertz.
“[Offensive Coordinator] Kliff [Kingsbury] and the crew did an unbelievable job,” Mariota said. “They put us in really good spots to go out there and make plays and execute. Guys did a great job of getting open and finding ways to get yards. You always feel that you leave a little
out there, but I thought our guys did a great job kind of all-day of executing.”
Daniels came out of the locker room after halftime. He was dressed in street clothes and looked no worse for wear. Mariota didn’t say much about Daniels injury when asked after the game but said it didn’t seem serious.
“I think he was in good spirits and for the most part, you just, again, you just check on him, how he’s doing and, we’ll take it day to day,” he said.
Mariota continued his solid play in the third quarter. He completed another eight straight passes including a 3-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Ben Sinnott to make the score 34-0.
Mariota finished the day 18 of 23 for 205 yards, two touchdowns, and a quarterback rating of 132.8.
“You know what, I’m really proud of Marcus and it’s been a tough start to it,” Quinn said. “IR and getting an injury and so for him to come back and see that kind of poise in the game, there was no flinch. And this happened early after the very first drive. For him to go in and go, and I look back to see post-practice who’s out on the field working, he and other guys going through the script. And so, I tip my hat to him and [Quarterback Coach] Tavita [Pritchard] and [Assistant Quarterback Coach] Dave Blough and others that are spending the extra time. So, if your moment gets called, then you’re ready to deliver for the team and I think that’s a really powerful thing and he was able to do that tonight.”
Now the page turns to the 4-2 Chicago Bears and fellow rookie quarterback (and number one overall draft pick) Caleb Williams.
The last two Heisman Trophy winners will play in front of a national television audience. The goal, prove their early season success is legitimate.
It’s a scenario few predicted two months ago.
POST GAME NOTES:
Offensive tackle Brandon Coleman and wide receiver Dyami Brown were also injured during the game. Coleman was evaluated for a concussion. Brown appeared to sustain an ankle injury but said after the game he was ok.
The October 27th match up with Chicago will mark the second straight week Washington has played in the late afternoon window after CBS flexed the game from 1pm, presumably to give it a large national audience.
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