The Commanders vs Cowboys Week 2 clash delivered another difficult result. Washington fell 37-20 in Arlington. And the final score only tells part of the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jayden Daniels started strong. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 96 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed seven times for 69 yards. His dual-threat ability moved the chains and kept Washington competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Washington trailed 17-10 late in the second quarter. The Commanders drove to the Dallas 1-yard line. Coach Dan Quinn chose to go for the touchdown with three seconds left. The decision backfired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniels took the snap and tangled with left guard Chris Paul. He tried to brace his fall with his left arm. The elbow bent the wrong way. Replays looked truly gruesome. Officials carted him off with a towel over his head. It was a very bleak moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quinn later confirmed the diagnosis. Daniels dislocated his left elbow again. Initial X-rays showed no fracture. He will undergo further imaging on Monday. The same elbow sidelined him last season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marcus Mariota replaced Daniels at halftime. He played solid football under tough circumstances. Mariota was 11 for 16 and 111 yards and a touchdown. He completed enough passes to keep the offense functional. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stefon Diggs stood out as a bright spot. He scored a touchdown from Daniels in the first half. And hauled in another score from Mariota in the second. Diggs provided reliable targets all afternoon, and caught 5 balls for 47 yards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Commanders defense barely slowed Dallas. The Cowboys scored on seven of their eight possessions. Dak Prescott carved up the secondary with four touchdown passes. He finished with strong efficiency numbers – 26 of 31 and for 259 yards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Cowboys moved the ball at will after the Daniels injury. Washington\u2019s front failed to generate consistent pressure. The secondary struggled to cover anything, but especially CeeDee Lamb – who managed 153 yards and 2 touchdowns on 8 catches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tight end Jake Ferguson also found the end zone multiple times. The Commanders simply could not force stops. Dallas drove at will for most of the contest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Washington managed a field goal and one late touchdown with Mariota at the helm, but Dallas answered every time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The final score of 37-20 reflected the imbalance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additional injuries compounded the frustration. Several Commanders starters left the game. Sam Cosmi got concussed. Actually, he got positively starched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The roster already looks thin heading into Week 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Washington sits at 0-2. The Daniels injury dominates every conversation. Further tests will determine his timeline. For now, the mood remains sombre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mariota will start for the foreseeable future. Again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The defense needs major improvement. Otherwise, early season struggles will continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At least they only have the defending Super Bowl champs next week in their home opener.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"