The Washington Commanders fell to 0-2 after a 37-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Here are five takeaways from Week 2.
1. The latest on Jayden Daniels.
The Commanders are waiting for Daniels to undergo further testing before deciding on the next steps for his recovery. However, it's clear that Daniels' dislocated elbow -- the same one he injured twice last season -- is significant, and he will miss some time.
Guard Chris Paul stepped on Daniels' foot while running a play at the Commanders' 1-yard line, causing the quarterback to stumble and reach out his left arm for balance. Daniels' elbow buckled under his weight, and while he managed to throw the ball away, it was clear that something was wrong. Daniels had an air cast on his left arm as he was carted off the field.
The good news is that there were no fractures detected in the initial X-rays, head coach Dan Quinn said during his postgame press conference. The biggest question now is how much time Daniels will miss while recovering from the injury. Daniels missed about a month the last time he sustained a similar injury, so it's reasonable to assume that is a possibility. Surgery could also be an option, which would extend Daniels' recovery time.
What's most important right now is Daniels' health. The team will do whatever is best for his recovery. Quinn will likely have more information during his Monday Zoom press conference, so we'll get a better idea of their next steps in the afternoon.
2. Struggles putting pressure on Dak Prescott.
Sacks don't tell the full story on whether a team can generate pressure, and while Dak Prescott did get sacked twice on Sunday, he was kept clean for most of the afternoon and largely unbothered by the pressure the Commanders tried to generate.
Prescott had a banner day against the Commanders' defense, completing 26 of his 31 pass attempts for 279 yards and four touchdowns. Prescott had time to survey his options -- he had a time to throw of 2.66 seconds -- mostly because the Cowboys' offensive line kept the pressure off him despite the Commanders bringing consistent pressure. He generated +17.9 EPA on his dropbacks, marking the most among quarterbacks facing a blitz rate of at least 40% in the last two seasons.
Prescott was 7-of-11 when under pressure against the Commanders; when kept clean, he was 17-of-18 for 178 yards. All four of his touchdowns came when he was not under duress.
It's a stark contrast for the Commanders, who managed to generate pressure against Jalen Hurts and significantly altered his passes because of it. They'll need to get back on course before facing the Seattle Seahawks, who have one of the more explosive offenses despite not having Sam Darnold at quarterback.
3. Stefon Diggs was a bright spot.
Although things got out of hand in the second half, it's clear that Diggs is becoming a key piece of the Commanders' offense.
Aside from a few drops in Week 1, Diggs has been a security blanket for whoever is under center directing the offense. He's an experienced route runner who has a good feel for finding open spots in coverage, particularly on third down. He caught five of his six targets for 47 yards, and eight of his nine receptions have resulted in first downs.
Diggs has been at his most effective in the red zone. He caught two more touchdowns against the Cowboys, both of which came in that area of the field. Diggs is the first Commanders player to record two touchdown receptions in a single game against Dallas since Jordan Reed accomplished the feat in 2016. He has moved into a tie with Joey Galloway for No. 38 all-time in NFL history in touchdown receptions.
The offense is still adjusting to David Blough's new scheme, but it's clear that Diggs is going to be part of the formula for winning games this season.
4. CeeDee Lamb found soft spots in Washington's coverage.
The Cowboys had an overall effective day against the Commanders, amassing 332 yards and averaging 6.1 yards per play. Almost half of that came from Lamb, who caught eight passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns.
It was clear from the opening drive that the connection between Prescott and Lamb would be Washington's primary obstacle. Prescott completed passes of 15 and 23 yards on back-to-back throws, setting the Cowboys up at the Commanders' 16-yard line. Four plays later, Prescott found Lamb open in the end zone to put Dallas up 7-0.
According to Pro Football Focus, Lamb tied with DeVonta Smith for the highest receiving grade among wideouts. He had an average depth of target of 16.2 yards, which led all receivers with at least nine targets.
Explosive plays have been an issue for the Commanders through the first two weeks of the season. This was to be expected with teams like the Eagles and Cowboys at the top of the schedule, and things aren't getting any easier in Week 3 with Jaxon Smith-Njigba coming to Northwest Stadium.
5. The team will rally around Marcus Mariota.
The Commanders are not in an ideal situation with Daniels out for an unknown amount of time. When healthy, he provides them with their best chance to win, and up until he dislocated his elbow right before halftime, it was clear that Dallas didn't have an answer for him. But Daniels will not be under center for at least a portion of the season, and it's far too early to declare the season is lost.
So, the only thing the Commanders can do is give Mariota as much support as possible.
"We will rally so hard around Marcus [Mariota] until Jayden's back," Quinn said.
The Commanders had to do this last year when Daniels dealt with multiple injuries. Mariota played well in his absence, starting in eight games and completing 61% of his passes for 1,685 yards and 10 touchdowns. On Sunday, Mariota once again played well with 111 passing yards and a touchdown to Diggs.
Regardless of how long Daniels is out, the Commanders must find a way to win games with Mariota under center. They've done so in the past, and in order to prevent the season from getting out of hand, they'll need to do so again.
