The injury list keeps growing for Washington, and Sunday’s game against Dallas added another painful name to it.
Right guard Sam Cosmi was hurt on the Commanders’ final drive after taking a hard shot from running back Kaytron Allen. Cosmi was in obvious pain before being helped off the field, and rookie Matt Gulbin stepped in at right guard.
That came after a rough stretch already in the game for Washington. Left tackle Brandon Coleman left with a finger injury, and defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw was helped off after injuring his shoulder.
The Commanders had already been dealing with a wave of injuries well before kickoff. Five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil tore his triceps on Aug. 8, and defensive tackle Johnny Newton later missed time with a torn pectoral.
In the season opener at Philadelphia, linebacker Frankie Luvu, linebacker Jordan Magee and tight end Chig Okonkwo all got hurt. Magee was placed on injured reserve, while Luvu and Okonkwo were ruled out for Week 2 against Dallas.
The biggest blow against the Cowboys came on the last play of the first half, when left guard Chris Paul stepped on starting quarterback Jayden Daniels’ foot. Daniels tried to save himself from the fall but landed awkwardly on his left elbow, the same elbow he injured last season. He was ruled out.
Cosmi had turned in a strong Week 1 showing, including work against Eagles star Jalen Carter, before this latest setback. More updates on Washington’s injuries are expected as they become available.
In Other News...
Jayden Daniels Scare Became The Commanders Story Everyone Was Talking About
The replay of Jayden Daniels injury during FOXs broadcast of the Cowboys-Commanders game turned into the kind of moment that stopped everything for a second, even in the booth. Tom Bradys live reaction included a curse word as the network showed the severity of the hit on Washingtons quarterback, and he quickly apologized on air, saying he was caught off guard by how bad it looked.
For Washington, the bigger story was still the scare around Daniels, whose health instantly became the focus as the broadcast moved on. The broadcast moment also raised a separate layer of attention, since a journalism professor said the expletive could potentially run afoul of FCC indecency rules, even if enforcement in situations like that is far from clear. [Read more 🡒]
Daron Payne Is Becoming A Real Problem For Washingtons Defense
Daron Paynes latest outing against the Cowboys did little to quiet the concern around one of Washingtons most important interior defenders. The disappointment was less about a single bad play than the larger lack of disruption, with Payne drawing criticism for not making enough of an impact against the run or when the Commanders tried to generate pressure up front.
Javon Kinlaw ended up looking more disruptive before leaving the game with an injury, which only sharpened the contrast inside Washingtons defensive line. When Payne is not winning his share of snaps, it puts more strain on the rest of the front, including edge rushers Odafe Oweh and KLavon Chaisson, and that is the kind of ripple effect Washington cannot afford for long. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Gave Fans A New Discipline Debate After Week 2 Win
The Cowboys Week 2 win brought more than a step forward in the standings, it also kept the conversation going about where the line sits in todays NFL between playing with edge and giving officials a reason to intervene. After the league reviewed Dallas season opener, three players were hit with fines for actions that drew attention well beyond the final score, with Donovan Ezeiruaku flagged for unnecessary roughness on a facemask penalty, DeMarvion Overshown punished for a late hit and Javonte Williams fined for unsportsmanlike conduct tied to taunting.
For Commanders fans, it is the kind of detail worth tracking because it speaks to the tone of a division rival and the sort of discipline battle that can swing games over the course of a season. The money collected from those fines goes to charitable foundations that support athletes and football communities, but the bigger takeaway for Washington is simpler: Dallas is already under the microscope, and how it handles that scrutiny could matter again the next time these teams cross paths. [Read more 🡒]