This one hurts in a different way than Week 1. Washington fell to Dallas 37-20, but the score is honestly the smaller story. Jayden Daniels went down with a dislocated left elbow right before halftime, and that's the thing that's going to stick with this fan base for a while. How it went Daniels was rolling early. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown, and he added 69 yards on the ground. His legs were the story of the first half. But with Washington trailing 17-10 and sitting at the Dallas 1-yard line with three seconds left before halftime, Dan Quinn decided to go for the touchdown instead of kicking a field goal. On that snap, Daniels got tangled up and tried to brace his fall with his left arm. His elbow bent the wrong way. It was the same elbow that popped out on him last season, so seeing it happen again was tough to watch. He was carted off with a towel over his head. Marcus Mariota came in to start the second half and did what he could. He went 11 of 16 for 111 yards and a touchdown, a 20-yard strike to Stefon Diggs that pulled Washington within 30-20 late in the fourth. But Dallas answered right back. Dak Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb for a 24-yard score that pushed the lead to 37-20, and that touchdown also gave Prescott the franchise record for passing touchdowns. Drew Stevens missed a 51-yard field goal try during one of Mariota's drives too, so the special teams didn't do the offense any favors. What it means CeeDee Lamb went off on Washington's secondary, five catches for 89 yards and a touchdown, and that's a problem for a defense that's still trying to find its footing under a new coordinator. Diggs did his part again, and he's now tied with Andre Reed for 22nd on the NFL's all-time receptions list, which is a pretty wild stat line for a guy who's only played two games in burgundy and gold. The real story is Daniels though. Quinn said X-rays showed no fracture, which is something, but he's headed for more tests and the team doesn't have a timeline yet. Mariota is set to start Week 3 against Seattle, and he said all the right things about being ready. He's been here before. But losing Daniels for any stretch of time is a gut punch for a team that already lost its best offensive lineman before the season even started. Washington sits at 0-2 with a talented but banged up roster, and now a giant question mark at the most important position on the field. Next up is Seattle at home, and honestly, this team just needs some good news for once.
Commanders Fall to 0-2, Jayden Daniels Injures Elbow vs Cowboys
A fan's take on Washington's 37-20 loss to Dallas, including Jayden Daniels's scary elbow injury and what it means going into Week 3.