The Commanders’ first home game of the season comes with a harsh reality check attached to it.
Washington is 0-2, and the latest setback hit where it hurts most: Jayden Daniels re-injured the elbow that sidelined him twice last season. After opening the year with two road division games, the Commanders are already sitting at the bottom of the division. A close loss to the Eagles last week had briefly given fans hope that Washington could “steal” a few tough wins early before the schedule eased up, but that optimism took a major hit with Daniels’ injury.
Now the Seattle Seahawks arrive on Sunday with a 2-0 record and a Super Bowl title from last season after beating the New England Patriots. Seattle may also be working with a backup quarterback, since Sam Darnold went down in Week 1 with a glute injury. Drew Lock has handled the job well enough to keep the Seahawks rolling, including a 31-7 division win over the Cardinals earlier today in which he threw 3 TDs.
Washington, meanwhile, is expected to turn to Marcus Mariota. He took over for Daniels against the Cowboys and has done it multiple times during Daniels’ injury-filled second season.
The opening line reflects just how steep this matchup looks for the home side. The Commanders opened as 6.5-point underdogs, with Seattle installed as a big road favorite. The total also points toward a tighter game, opening at 41.5.
FanDuel also opened the point total at 41.5.
In Other News...
Tom Brady Added To The Misery Of Washingtons Ugly Afternoon
An ugly afternoon in Washington already had plenty of ways to linger, and Tom Brady added one more layer during the FOX broadcast. While calling the game, the seven-time Super Bowl winner turned heads with his blunt description of a Dak Prescott throw, then later reacted to the moment when Jayden Daniels went down with an injury, a scene that immediately changed the mood around the telecast.
Bradys unfiltered commentary quickly became part of the conversation, but the bigger issue for Washington was the sight of Daniels left elbow bending unnaturally. In a day that had already gone sideways, the injury concern for the rookie quarterback was the part that mattered most, and it left the Commanders facing an uneasy wait after an afternoon nobody in the building will want to replay. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Injury Scare Just Changed Everything For Washington
A tense halftime scene at FedEx Field changed the tone of Washingtons Week 2 meeting with Dallas in a hurry, as Jayden Daniels left on the final play of the first half with a left arm injury. The setback was especially alarming because the injury appeared to be a dislocated elbow, a similar issue to one Daniels had dealt with before, turning what had been a familiar divisional matchup into a much bigger concern for the Commanders.
Marcus Mariota took over for the second half after Daniels was carted off, leaving Washington to regroup around a different quarterback and an uncertain outlook. For a team already trying to establish its identity early in the season, the injury adds another layer of anxiety, and the immediate focus now shifts from the scoreboard to the quarterbacks status moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Sonny Styles Sent A Message Commanders Fans Should Love
Sonny Styles gave the Commanders something to build on in a tight season opener against the Eagles, flashing the kind of early impact Washington has been hoping to see from its rookie linebacker. In his debut, Styles finished with four tackles, including two for loss, along with a sack and a quarterback hit, a useful blend of disruption and activity even in a 24-22 loss.
Styles also sounded like a player who understands the standard is only going to get tougher from here, noting there are areas of his game he still needs to clean up. For Washington, the encouraging part is that a rookie already looked comfortable making plays in a high-pressure setting, and now the next test comes quickly with Dallas up next. [Read more 🡒]