Jayden Daniels Remains uplifted After Injury

Commanders find hope in his Resilience after Jayden Daniels recovery

By Sheenu Gupta On Oct 21, 2024 Share with new partner:

Jayden Daniels’ left rib injury cast a shadow over the Washington Commanders’ dominant 40-7 victory against the Carolina Panthers. It was a celebratory atmosphere at Northwest Stadium, especially with the franchise retiring Hall of Famer Darrell Green’s jersey during halftime.

Commanders linebacker Dante Fowler set the tone early with a pick-6 in the first quarter. On Washington’s first offensive play, Daniels broke free for a 46-yard run.

The Commanders quickly took a 10-0 lead, but their strong start was soon overshadowed when Jayden Daniels went into the medical tent and was later escorted to the locker room, clearly in pain during the first quarter. Initially, the team listed Daniels as questionable to return in the first half, but by the third quarter, he was officially ruled out.

“You got to compartmentalize that for the moment and for the moments throughout the whole game. Obviously, it happened in the first quarter,” Commanders center Tyler Biadasz said. “Get through it and keep it in great spirits and hope everything’s okay, and keep on moving on.”

Veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota stepped in effectively for Daniels, delivering a strong performance against the struggling Panthers. He completed 18 of 23 passes for 205 yards and threw two touchdowns.Not a good feeling, but we were ready to adjust.

Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr. said, “We adjusted where Marcus (Mariota) came right in and did everything he was supposed to do. So it was like (Jayden Daniels) wasn’t even there, you know. We would love to have him back out on the field. I’m just glad everybody was prepared to adjust to it.”

Mariota, a mobile quarterback with solid game management skills, can make plays with his legs, though not as explosively as Daniels. With 74 starts over his 10-year career, he’s considered one of the top backup quarterbacks in the NFL. The Commanders’ offense didn’t miss a beat with Mariota taking over, scoring 30 points even in Daniels’ absence.

Mariota said postgame that Daniels was doing OK.

“He was in good spirits,” Mariota said. “For the most part you just check on him (see) how he is doing and we’ll take it day to day.”

Mariota is a mobile quarterback and can manage a game. He can make similar plays with his legs, albeit, not as explosive. He’s registered 74 starts over the course of a 10-year career. He’s one of the better No. 2 quarterbacks in the NFL. The Commanders offense didn’t change much with Mariota under center as they scored 30 points in Daniels’ absence.

At 1-6, the Panthers aren’t a true test for the Commanders without Daniels, and Washington can’t afford to be without their star quarterback for long if they hope to claim the NFC East title for the first time since 2020.

The team is anxiously awaiting the results of Daniels’ tests, hoping for good news. On the bright side, Daniels was seen on the sidelines in the second half, wearing sweats, smiling, and waving to fans—an encouraging sign that the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite is in good spirits.